Early Times Report
srinagar, Mar 20: In a development that has unnerved a minister from the ruling Peoples' Democratic Party, the Minister for Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Javaid Mustafa Mir has questioned the ongoing construction of a commercial complex on the banks of river Jhelum near Abdullah Bridge here.
Sources said that while chairing a recent meeting on Disaster Management in Kashmir, Mir said there was a need to probe how influential man was granted permission for the ongoing construction and why the concerned agencies failed to stop it.
Official sources said the meeting was attended by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmed Khan Chief Engineer I&FC, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Syed Abid Rashid Shah, officers from Mechanical Engineering, SDRF, Fire and Emergency Services, Health and Medical Education and others.
Mir while asking the Chief Engineer I&FC to ensure removal of all obstructions including trees on river embankments of Jhelum, said it was unfortunate that official machinery had been silent on the construction underway in Raj Bagh.
Mir also asked the Chief Engineer to survey all the potential spots of embankment breaches and strengthen them permanently, and to give details about threats if any including one posed by the Raj Bagh construction.
Sources said a PDP minister, who is accused of taking kickbacks to the tune of millions from the builder, has approached his colleague requesting him not to go for any formal inquiry.
Sources said the minister had pressurized the R&B to give up proposed road widening towards the side where construction is coming up, lest the builder is unable to meet his designs.
"We had to go for road widening but minister pressurized us not to widen the road. Let the government order a probe on this front and things will be clear to one and all as to how R&B was used to meet sinister designs which have made Srinagar more flood prone," said a senior official on the condition of anonymity.
Despite repeated attempts, Javaid Mustafa Mir couldn't be contacted for comments. |
