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| Shopkeepers stage protest against JMC | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 18: Accusing the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) officials of having nexus with the “land grabbers”, the shopkeepers of Bikram Chowk area today staged a noisy protest seeking immediate action against the land grabbers and guilty municipal officials.
The shopkeepers, who have been allotted Municipal shops at Birkram Chowk area, shouted slogans against the administration of the Corporation and alleged that land grabbers in connivance with the civic body officials have encroached nearly eight kanals of prime land of the Corporation.
Demanding the demolition of multi-storey residential complexes constructed on this prime land of the Municipal Corporation, they alleged that the land grabbers are influential identities and managed to construct buildings due to their political affiliations.
“Our shops which stand adjacent to the unauthorised constructions are prone to damage as water seeping in through these walls has left the structure weak and could crumble anytime,” said one of the shopkeeper who have been allotted municipal shop in the area.
He said that since the land grabbers have come up with forced construction on the JMC land, no cognizance of the matter is being taken up by the administration as such despite the fact the construction is illegal and higher officials of civic body have direct involvement in such illegal construction.
“Even the site plan, which is supposed to be finalized by the civic body prior to raise any construction in the city, has not been approved and the construction are being carried out in violation of all norms,” he charged.
“We have been regularly paying the rent to the shops which have been allotted by the civic body. The land grabbers, who are quite influential and have political links, have raised illegal construction on eight kanals of municipal land worth in crores of rupees. As the land is adjacent to our shops, they have also forcefully raised the wall due to which water seeping in through the walls of our shops,” another shopkeeper alleged.
He further alleged, “Whenever, the shopkeepers tried to create ventilation system or install exhaust fans in their shops, the land grabbers have threatened us for dire consequences. Though we have approached the administration several times, yet no action has been initiated against the culprits.”
“As water is seeping into the walls of the shops, the walls could crumble anytime and in case of any casualty the onus would lies on the Municipal Corporation,” the agitated shopkeeper cautioned.
Waving the copies of receipts of rent paid to the Corporation, the protestors warned that they would intensify their agitation if the administration doesn’t take any action against the land grabbers.
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