By Akash Sharma
Jammu: Sparing large number of residential encroachments which belongs to the non-state subjects, the Jammu Development Authority today choose only one small house belongs to one poor Kashmiri Muslim family in its demolition drive at Qasim Nagar, New Bahu Fort Colony.
The over enthusiastic anti encroachment drive led by Tehsildar JDA Shruti Bhardwaj came under severe criticism as the victim has blamed the JDA authorities of acting in a communal manner.
Crying foul Sakina Begum said” This entire anti encroachment drive was launched at the behest of JDA’s dalals who were demanding more money after accepting Rs one lakh as bribe to proceed with construction”
Accompanied by a team of police including SDPO East Rajinder Singh, the JDA team at about 8 am today swoop on a small under construction house which belongs to one poor Sakina Begum.
Interestingly, just adjoining the place where this structure has been demolished, there are almost hundred well built residential house exisist on encroached land on both sides of Nallah which mostly belongs to the non state subjects.
Not only this only a few days ago, making mockery of the authority of Vice Chairman, JDA Vikas Sharma and it’s enforcement team, some influential persons raised a huge structure upon vast piece of encroached land just a few yard away from this structure on the other side of Nallah.
Ironically, when JKGN shared the picture of this broadday encroachment on JDA land to VC JDA and Tehsildar JDA Shruti Bhardwaj, the duo prefer to remain mum on it. None was able to explain as to how such a vast structure failed to get due attention of able JDA officers.
It’s worth to mentioned here that at Qasim Nagar, there are number of places where the influential persons have encroached upon JDA land with impunity.
For updating the knowledge of VC JDA, two persons have encroached upon graveyard land at either end and raised shops.
In another instance, just opposite to this graveyard at Qasim Nagar, NC leader Rashida Begum have also built up a house after encroaching a piece of land alongside nallah.
Similarly, one Sumitra Devi who is a non state subject also encroached upon a strip adjoining the main street leading to Qasim Nagar.
In a similar way, one person claiming to be leader of BJP and another bragging of close proximity with Cong leader Raman Bhalla have encroached upon almost 5×40 feet strips respectively adjoining their plots along the road side.
On either side of Nallah, there existed large number of houses which are too built on encroached land but the JDA only target us. This is because we belongs to Kashmir blamed Sakina Begum with tears in her eyes.
when JDA cannot flex it’s muscle against mighty encroachers who raised huge structure in Qasim Nagar on JDA land then under what propriety they are boosting of dismantling poor man shelter, said an agitated relative of victim Sakina.
Flaunting arrogance, VC JDA prefers to skip JKGN repeated attempts to contact him, However, Shruti Bhardwaj, Tehsildar JDA clarified that there is nothing communal in removing illegal structure which was raised on encroached land. “Earlier also we had warned the occupant to refrain from construction.”
When, asked why only this family was targeted in anti encroachment drive when large number of residential structures mostly belongs to non state subjects existed in the similar manner, Shruti disconnected the call stating “I am not answerable to media persons for such whole sale encroachment on both side of Nallah in Qasim Nagar”
Indeed, Tehsildar JDA is not answerable to JKGN but million dollar question remains that why JDA single out one Kashmiri family among large number illegal encroachers on JDA land in its shoddy anti-encroachment drive.