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| Irrigation Deptt's land openly encroached, Officials hand in glove with encroachers | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 6: Prime land of irrigation department is being encroached upon by some shopkeepers under the nose of department in Nai-Basti area but officials concerned have deliberately turned a blind eye over the issue, allegedly after accepting huge kickbacks from the encroachers. The Irrigation department had closed the water flow in Ranbir canal for de-silting purposes but it also a provides an opportunity to the encroachers to usurp land of department. In Nai-Basti area, a shopkeeper had earlier raised a structure on the irrigation department's land, that too with active connivance of the department officials. Even then the matter was brought up into the notice of department officials by Early Times and the officials had in turn assured to take action but nothing was done except halting construction work for few days. The structure was completed and for the last few days the owner of same shop has now started work to raise double storey on the same shop. "For the last few days, construction workers have been engaged to raise second storey of the illegally constructed shop. Even the construction material is dumped near the water tank, just few yards away from Satwari-Gandhi Nagar highway and the construction workers have been transporting the material after crossing the canal, sources said, adding that everything has been undergoing under the close watch of the Irrigation dept officials but they have kept mum over the issue.
"After exchange of kickbacks from the encroacher, the officials have turned Nelson eye towards the matter", an official of department said, adding that if someone brought the matter into the notice of department higher officials, they initially feigned ignorance and then after taking all details, they assured to take action but all proved farce.
"The higher officials discussed the matter with lower rung officials and after taking their own share they also turned silent", the official said, adding that Nai-Basti is one such example but every year, whenever the canal was closed for de-silting, the encroachers went on to encroach remaining portions of land and in this way, officials got huge kickbacks. |
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