JAMMU: Taking cognizance of serious matter highlighted by JK Global News in its publication dated Feb 1, 2022, the administration in a veiled manner brags of bracing for major crackdown against upcoming new illegal colonies besides “strict action” against officers/officials of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and Revenue department for deliberately maintaining silence against developers of these unlawful residential colonies.
However, attributing this move of administration as an “eyewash” exercise which is not in consonance with PM Narendra Modi vision of zero tolerance against corruption, highly placed sources in police said “Freshly carved illegal colonies were not popped up like mushroom in an overnight. The whole operation planned meticulously in alleged connivance with JDA and Revenue officers right from alteration of agriculture land into banjar kadeem, encroachment of adjoining state land, leveling, installing of electricity polls and water supply pipes, preparation of layout plans and registration of properties with construction of foundation on sold out plots”.
Irked over expose of multi crore Kheila of illegal colonies in Jammu, the mighty land grabbers and developers enjoying patronage in the administration and police are making hectic efforts to save skin of officers by pushing the issue under carpet, added sources.
“This all merrily going on with impunity since 2019 right under the nose of concerned Tehsildars of JDA (Zone C, D & Zone A, B), Sub Divisional Magistrate, Jammu-(North & South) and indeed turns out to be an organized gigantic act of corruption which is prospering at alarming rate since 2019 in Union Territory of J&K”, alleged a senior officer, who also served as Director Land Management (DLM) in JDA.
Unless the LG administration suspends the concerned officers in JDA and Revenue Department to prevent fiddling with dossiers pertaining to new illegal colonies, the big Khella (play) of illegal colonies going behind the curtains between the mighty land grabbers, colonizers and officers can’t reached to its logical conclusion, he quips.
It sounds incredulous, the illegal colonies on such a large scale surfaced in outskirts of Jammu city in span of three years and the administration with a robust network of intelligence, JDA and Revenue Departments were all not aware of it. And suddenly, one fine day-the matter starts hogging limelight when JK Global News carried a scoop on it. Indeed, its a tragedy with good governance.
Prolong silence of officers of JDA especially BOCA team and Tehsildar besides Revenue Dept on new illegal colonies is an alleged act of large scale corruption. Instead of hushing the matter to protect the delinquent officers, the government requires to suspend the identified officers and handover the investigation of matter to ACB and Crime Branch to decode the sequence of events and modus operandi involved in establishment of new illegal colonies post 2019.
Further counting 37 illegal colonies on finger tips which came into existence in and around Jammu city since 2019 in Bishnah, Chowadhi, Sunjawan, Birpur, Vijaypur, Jakh, Sarore, Phallian Mandal, Bajalta, Jagti,Seeri, Paloura, Sainik Colony Extension and Kot Bhalwal in blatant violation of J&K Land Development Act, 1970, J&K Control of Building Operation Act, 1988 as well as Jammu Master Plan 2032, insiders in JDA reveals “On being exposed by JK Global News, the officers and officials are running helter-skelter to identify illegal colonies in their respective zones which they all know since 2019 and most of them on many occasions visited these colonies at the inception stage along with their respective Patwari”.
For the past 3 years (Approximately) JDA Tehsildar, Samridhi Sharma is looking after Zone C&D (Bishnah, Vijaypur, Samba, Jakh, Sarore, Chowadhi, Sunjawan, Gadigarh, Bari Brahmna where nearly 17 illegal colonies came into existence. Whereas, Tehsildar Ranjeet Singh is entrusted with responsibilities of enforcement in JDA for Zone A&B (Phallian Mandal, Bhalwal, Jagti etc) which is notorious for boom in vast illegal colonies as well as illegal commercial constructions.
Hassle free registration of plots on such a large scale in these illegal colonies by the field officials of Revenue Department also raised question mark on the role of SDM North, Pawan Kotwal and SDM, South Abhisheik Abrol who are otherwise empowered to act against developers of illegal colonies in their jurisdiction.
Merely recommending mild “action” simply means a lobby in administration is misleading the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as well as higher ups in LG led administration on the issue of upcoming illegal colonies in Jammu to protect a couple of officers who are hand in gloves with the developers of unlawful colonies and willfully cause huge loss to the state exchequer, informed an officer of Revenue department on condition of anonymity.
Evidently, the operation cover up is under way as, yet so far, neither the district administration has ordered ban on issuance of Fard Intakhab for identified areas of illegal colonies in Jammu neither the JDA has ordered registration of FIR against developers besides dragging its feet to issue circular in public domain to aware citizens about unlawful colonies, alleged an officer of JDA on condition of anonymity.
On being contacted Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr. Raghav Langer said “No one is above law. The investigation is underway and those found involved in establishment of these illegal colonies will be held accountable”
Whereas, Vice-Chairman, JDA, Pankaj Magotra clarified that so far 25 illegal colonies have been identified and the process to identified more is under way.
No colonies will be allowed to establish under JDA jurisdiction sans legal framework. In an endeavour to aware citizens about the traps of developers, the JDA is also going to publish list of illegal colonies in local dailies in couple of days, informed Mr. Magotra.
(To Be Continued)