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| SMC comes out of hibernation, optics at play | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 29: Merely three days after Early Times carried a detailed news report about how Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has been plunged into darkness, the corporation all of a sudden has woken up from slumber taking action against anything which comes in its way. There were gross allegations against the corporation for allowing illegal constructions to boom sans any check.
However, those at the helm in the corporation seem to have sensed trouble and all of a sudden have come out of the hibernation. As per the government reports, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Dheeraj Gupta earlier appointed Farooq Ahmad Rather Director Housing and Urban Development Department to hold an enquiry into the allegations against several SMC officials for allowing violation and facilitate illegal constructions in Karanagar. The officials against whom probe has been ordered include former Ward Officer, former Junior Building Inspector, former Chief Enforcement Officer, former Enforcement Officer, and Additional Enforcement Officer.
There were reports that some big fish to would get caught during the government action.
Meanwhile, in a bid to cover up the wrongs a massive drive against illegal constructions in the city has been lunched by the SMC. One wonders who allowed these structures at the first place to bloom? Was that SMC or some other department?
The Mayor Srinagar Junaid Matoo stated in a recently held press conference that around 50 illegal constructions have been identified in first phase and they will be sealed or demolished. He said he has given written instructions to Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Enforcement wing about illegal constructions should be sealed or demolished. He added that he started scrutiny of constructions in Srinagar city, including commercial, institutional and residential properties and identified around 50 structures in phase one which are completely un-authorised or have major deviations. Matoo said he has given orders that every unauthorised or illegal construction in Srinagar city be sealed immediately. He added that illegal structures, irrespective of political patronage, will be sealed and that the field-level staff will be held accountable in their respective areas. We can procure equipment from outside to bring down multi-storey structures. Encroachments will also not be spared. "I have passed some attachment order. I want people should constuct and it will give us revenue and result in development. I am not here to demolish Srinagar but want progress and development. I will recover the land that is disputed", Mattoo said.
Meanwhile, as per the insiders, the entire exercise is being carried out with a sole objective to divert peoples attention from the mis-management taking toll within the corporation. The mayor has already hinted at the wedge between commissioner SMC and himself, stating that he feels helpless in rectifying the wrongs.
What remains to be seen is how long will this optics of illusion would continue to dominate scenes. |
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