Recent surprise inspection by Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as well as Vice-Chairman JDA appropriately endorsed the shady working of enforcement and BOCA teams highlighted by JK Global News in series of news item. This massive corruption scandal has caused enormous loss to state exchequer worth several crores besides irreparable damage to planned development of region which warrants a probe by CID as well as ACB to fix responsibility for brazen violations which can’t occur sans pecuniary considerations.
JAMMU: The enforcement wing in Jammu Development Authority have developed penchant for religiously encouraging large scale illegal constructions as prime duty rather than an exception.
This murky affairs though prevailing since long in the corridors of Vikas Bhawan with impunity, however, got official endorsement during recent surprise visit of Vice-Chairman, JDA, Pankaj Magotra in several areas which includes Nikki Tawi area, Chowadhi, Birpur, Jagti, Sarore and Bhalwal etc.
Taking serious cognizance of large scale unauthorized constructions and plotting of illegal colonies on alarming scale, the VC served show cause notice to Tehsildar of Zone C/D and Zone A/B. The contents of the letter is itself a testimony to the fact that corruption is allegedly running rampant in JDA for sheltering large scale unauthorized constructions as well as new illegal colonies.
Vide letter No: JDA/VC/2022/443-44 dated 4/2/22, the VC while seeking comprehensive report on visible large scale illegal constructions identified during visit on 2/2/2022 directed both officers to explain their position which may convinced the authority to defer it’s decision of handing over the matter to Anti Corruption Bureau for a probe to fix responsibility for such brazen violations which can’t ruled out active involvement of enforcement officials.
Pertinently, large scale unauthorized commercial constructions in an organized way mushroomed in Sarore, Jagti, Nagrota, Bhalwal, Chowadhi, Bishnah etc due to deep rooted nexus between the willful violators and those manning enforcement wing in JDA.
This situation has reached an alarming proportion in Belicharana, where without failure, the enforcement Inspector namely Naresh Sharma as well as BOCA team regularly visited the area but for reasons best known to them never act against land grabbers who are allowed to construct big commercial structures with impunity on encroached JDA land.
The mess and level of indiscipline prevailing among BOCA as well as Enforcement team in JDA can be understood from the fact that even circulars bearing No HUD-LSG0JMC/16/2021-e-office (8710) dated 23/3/2021 and No 03-JK (HUD) of 2020 dated 24/8/2020 wherein the Commissioner-Secretary of JK Housing Urban Development Department expressing displeasure over rampant illegal construction has directed concerned authority to initiate disciplinary against erring officials too have failed to deter the concerned officials from shielding illegal constructions in JDA jurisdiction.
Disclosing the modus operandi which operates behind mushrooming illegal constructions in the mentioned areas in blatant violation of Jammu Master Plan-2032, the reliable sources in JDA said “Ensuring completion of illegal constructions without approved permission is a money minting racket where the BOCA and enforcement inspectors nearly consumed 6 to 8 months in issuance of notices to violators only with a well planned move to allow the violators to complete the structure and start commercial activities”.
The sources further alleged that there is rate list for allowing unauthorized constructions as well as illegal colonies which varied from area and location. “For allowing construction of illegal commercial flats in Chowadhi and surrounding area the rate is Rs 10 lakh, Rs 50,000 for commercial structures in Jagti, Rs 35000 for commercial structure in Birpur and Sarore, Rs 15000 per slab for residential structures in Nagrota and Sarore, Rs 1 lakh for construction of commercial structure on encroached land in Belicharana.
The rate for allowing establishment of illegal colonies without approval from JDA is ranging from Rs 15 to 20 lakh/100 Kanals along with ownership of a plot measuring 1 to 2 kanal as ‘Nazrana’, alleged reliable sources in JDA.
Referring to huge multi level commercial structure in Vijaypur near Sarore Toll Plaza, several commercial establishments in Chowadhi, Jagti etc, the insiders in JDA said “These structures were established by violators without seeking requisite building permission, then what’s stopping the authority in JDA from initiating action against these illegal buildings as well as disciplinary action against concerned enforcement inspectors, questioned an officer of JDA preferring anonymity.
This is not only a willful loss to the state exchequer but also a major scandal as the JDA is losing regular income worth crores which it earned by granting permissions for various construction activities.
This loss is gigantic in case of new unapproved residential colonies which are nearly 50 in JDA jurisdiction, said an officer of JKHUD preferring anonymity.
The silence of higher ups in JKHUD on loss of development charges worth several crores is intriguing as most of these new 47 unapproved colonies are established altering the land use, he added.