KUNAL SHRIVATSA
JAMMU, Feb 11: Even as the illegal constructions has become a pain in the neck for the two capital cities of the state, the law enforcing agencies have failed to curb the menace effectively particularly in Jammu city where the action taken against the violators, who gave a thumb down to set rules of law, is close to miniscule.In a written reply to Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev's question, the Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies, Nawang Rigzin Jora said that hundreds of cases of illegitimate structures have been reported in areas falling under the various municipal bodies of Jammu as well as Kashmir regions during 2013-14.Jora informed that as many as 166 cases of illegal construction were registered by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) till January 31, 2014 with only 9 illegally raised buildings were subjected for demolition. The reply further said that 87 cases are sub-judiced in the court of law while only three building premises were sealed during the period adding that 13 cases got building plan approval subsequently and 54 cases are still under process.While the JMC figures as far as taking punitive action against the offenders is dismal, its counterpart Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has a better record in dealing with the illegal construction cases.
The SMC has demolished as many as 180 illegal structures while it removed 115 encroachments, sealed 53 commercial complexes and orders were issued against 8 constructions for their sealing. Moreover, the action under the provisions of Control of Building Act (COBA), 1988 has been initiated by SMC against 209 violators who have raised the construction unauthorizedly/violation of the building permissions. In addition to it, about 1400 cases regarding violations of Building permissions/ master plan are under adjudication in different courts.
The nuisance of illegal construction has not only gripped the two capital cities but it has also raised its tentacles in other urban areas of the state.While 73 cases of illegal constructions were registered in different urban local bodies of Jammu region, the number of similar cases in within various municipal bodies of Kashmir province was 99.Katra, the base camp of Shri Mata Vasihno Devi shrine, has the maximum number of 28 cases of illegal construction in the entire state where as Municipal Committee; Budgam with 16 cases was the second highest while Pampore with 14 cases is close third in the list. In Udhampur, 12 cases of illegal construction were registered while the number of such cases in Ram Nagar was also 12 while in Kathua, Lakhanpur, Samba and Bishnah-11, 1, 8 and 1 cases were registered respectively. As many as 2 cases of illegal construction were registered in Ganderbal while Sopore had 10 cases of similar nature. Devsar, Baramulla, Pulwama, Awantipora, Bandipora, Beerwah, Chadoora, Kulgam, Kunzer, Shopian, Hajin, Handwara, Sumbal, Watergam and Uri registered 1, 12, 6, 2, 3, 2, 9, 6, 1, 7, 1,1, 2, 1 and 1 cases respectively. |
