Encroachers PUNCTURE District Adm’s. Authority, REOPEN Sealed Shops On State Land in SIDHARA

JAMMU: Out of 32 commercial establishments which were sealed by the District Administration, Jammu in the year 2021 along Ragoora-Sidhara National Highway, the violators cocking a snook at the authorities have broke open the seals of 12 shops and recapture state land for business activities.

The Public Information Officers (PIO) of District Magistrate, Jammu as well as Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) while furnishing the list of 32 sealed structures in response to an RTI application filed by a prominent social activist and anti corruption crusader Prof. S.K.Bhalla, deliberately delivered misleading information pertaining to current status of the sealed structures.

“The current status report furnished by PIO of DM, Jammu’s office and prepared by officials of Revenue department is a clear attempt to hoodwink the higher authorities wherein instead of elaborating about the reopening of sealed shops, they mentioned only about some kind of work (NHW-44 widening) going around shops mentioned at serial 1, 15, 18, 23, 26, 30 and 29.   

Currently commercial structures along with type of land and occupants which existed on state/JDA land in Dwara-Rangoora area and operating business activities after unlawfully breaking seals of JMC includes Carkhana by Sobti Automobiles (Khasra No 59/41, Ghair Mumkin Jaad, 2 Kanal, rented by Javed Ahmed s/o Abdul Gani r/o Dwara), four unnamed tin sheds (Kh No 59/41, Maira Doyam, 4 marla, Abdul Majeed s/o Qutub Din r/o Dwara), Rose leaf tea stall (Kh No 59/41,Maira Doyam, 2 Marla, Bagh Hussain s/o Bashir Ali r/o Dwara), Levantine Restaurant (previously Mad Glad exist here, Kh No 221/192, Gair Mumkin Kassi, 5 marla, Khurshid Ali r/o Ragoora), Delhi 6 Restaurant (Kh No 221/192, 141, Mera Aval, Rashida Bibi), Orange Restaurant (Kh No 221/192,1410, 10 Kanal, Mera Aval, Abdul Hanief), Tomorrow land (Kh No 221/192, 141, Mera Aval, 6 Marla, Abdul Mehmood s/o Nazir Ahmed r/o Rangoora), one unnamed  tin shed (Kh No 221/192, 1 marla, Gair mumkin jaad, Abdul Rouf), one unnamed tin shed (Kh No 221/192, 1 marla, Gair Mumkin kassi, Faryad Ali), 3 unnamed shops (Kh No 165, 10 Marla, Gora, Mohd Razak s/o Mohd Sadiq r/o Rangoora), 2 Tin shed ( Kh No 62, Gair Mumkin sadak, 2 marla, kalu) and Nagbani Dhaba near Batra Hospital (Kh No 294/64, 2 marla, Gair mumkin sadak, suresh kumar).

Even, the JMC authorities while responding to RTI application has not clear about status of current  sealed shops and action initiated against the violators for breaking seals.

Breaking seals to regain access to sealed shops is a criminal act and silence of JMC authorities in initiating action as per law of land against the defaulters establishes some hanky-panky on the part officers/officials in the matter. Similar, is the fate of JDA and PWD departments who have closed their eyes towards encroachment of its prime land in Rangoora, Dwara and Majeen areas, says a resident of Rangoora.

Worthwhile to mention, here that acting on complaints from several meaningful citizens sans so called civil society of Jammu against brisk sale and consumption of drugs besides naked dance of indecent activities flourishing right under the nose of men in khakhi around several structures majority of which raised on encroached state land in Ragoora-Dwara-Majeen along the National Highway road patch Sidhara-Narwal, the district administration in the year 2021 had prepared a list of several commercial structures along with names of encroachers, status and ownership of land.

Subsequently, the DM, Jammu vides its letter No DCJ/SQ/Illegal-Encr-Sidhara/2020-21/3332-37 dated 21/02/2021, directed the Commissioner, JMC for necessary action against identified structures in reference to building permissions. Acting swiftly, the then Commissioner, JMC immediately sealed all the commercial structures mentioned in the list as per BOCA laws. On the other hand, the JDA besides eviction notices to encroachers also filled caveat in the court of law and thereafter went to deep slumber over the matter.

It is important to see that the information received through RTI clearly shows that the office of DM, Jammu itself has endorsed the existence of more than two dozen establishments on state land in Dwara, Rangoora and Majeen area. However, the prolong lackadaisical approach of JDA, PWD, Forest and Revenue Departments by repeatedly deferring demolition drive has emboldened the morale of habitual encroachers of prime state land along Narwal-Sidhara National Highway, says Prof. Bhalla.  

Post Roshni Act repeal, there is visible contradiction in words and deeds of LG’s administration in evicting encroachers of state land and it is mind blowing to see that the administration led by LG Manoj Sinha is under severe political compulsions despite the absence of a popular government in J&K since 2019, emphatically said Prof. Bhalla.