The civil society and locals of Sidhara have appreciated the action of LG led administration in sealing 32 commercial establishments on Sidhara National Highway and termed the action as timely surgical strike on Drug & Indecency Zone
JAMMU: The Jammu Development Authority is all set to demolish 32 commercial establishments which were constructed illegally over encroached state land in Sidhara National Highway.
The land grabbers in connivance with their political masters and well wishers in police department have encroached a vast portion of prime land along the National Highway in Sidhara and constructed several commercial establishments which mostly notorious for ‘Hookah Bars’.
Reliable sources in Jammu Development Authority revealed that upon assuming charge of Vice-Chairman, JDA, Rohit Khajuria has issued final notice under BOCA for demolition and personally survey the encroached state land at Sidhara. But, on the decided day, the drive was aborted as the police team “expressed its inability citing preoccupation”.
There is stake of several powerful persons including some police officers in these restaurants and attempts are being made to scuttle the demolition drive by exploiting politicians and higher-ups in the corridors of power, told one senior officer of JDA.
Commenting on the issue Prof. S.K.Bhalla, a renowned critic, social activist and Head of Civil Vigilance Cell said ” Land mafia deserves no mercy as every land grabber is a law breaker and government must retrieve encroached forest as well as state land and book the accuseds under relevant sections of law”
The administration act appropriately in sealing all 32 commercial establishments on encroached land in Sidhara. The validity of finall notice for demolition has expired and thus the concerned officer must accomplished the job without delay, Prof Bhalla
The V-C JDA is a man of integrity and never works under pressure and the plan to retrieve entire encroached state land where several unauthorized structures exists, is well on the table and may execute at any time well under the tenure of incumbent V-C, JDA, avers an officer preferring anonymity. Big news in offing, he added.
The drug mafia syndicate comprising of bold and beautiful girls suffered a major blow with the sealing of these commercial establishment in Sidhara.“On daily basis, the drug mafia used to earn 5-8 lakhs from sale of psychotropic substances and allied immoral activities”-Police sources.
Its worth to mention here that JK Global News in a series of news items published in the month of Dec, 2020-Jan, 2021 have exposed alarming drug addiction, prevalence of immoral activities and nuisance around Hookah Bars which were constructed illegally on a prime piece of encroached state land along National Highway in Sidhara.
Reacting to the JK Global News expose, the state administration on Feb 20, 2021 has ordered closure of all illegal restaurants constructed on encroached state land. Subsequently, the Jammu Municipal Corporation also sealed these Hookah Bars cum eateries shops for violation of BOCA. Those hit deeply in this biggest sealing drive in the history of J&K includes Tiffin Hut, Mad Glad, Grand Hill, Tomorrow Land- a Dance club cum Hookah Bar, Orange, Landscape and Good Guy.