Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 8: In a major relief to the villagers in Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, High Court vacated the stay on construction of road under Prime Minister’s Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) after 5 years.
The stay on construction of road was granted in 2011 after it was informed that the Revenue officials in connivance with private persons have treated some Kacharia land as proprietary land and even granted compensation from public exchequer in their favour for construction of the road.
The court after hearing State counsel, who submitted before the court that the enquiry has been initiated about the bunglings, vacated the stay on construction of road and asked the petitioners to approach DC Ganderbal with regard to changing the position of grazing land into proprietary land.
“Since the competent authority has already initiated action for recovery of the excess amount, the reliefs that are now being sought for by the petitioners have become academic. However, they are given liberty to raise fresh issue before Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal”, Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar said.
Court while vacating the interim order also directed DC Ganderbal to look into the complaint if any made by the petitioners and take decision on its own merits.
“Since substantial issue raised by the petitioners has already been addressed by the official respondents. The laying of road between two villages is for the benefit of the villagers, hence, the interim order passed by this court stands vacated. The authorities are entitled to lay the road within this financial year so as to avoid funds getting lapsed”, Justice Sudhakar directed.
It is pertinent to mention here that petitioners had submitted an application before the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Ganderbal, on January 6, 2011 expressing their resentment that the land, which belongs to the State, has been converted into proprietary land to benefit the private respondents and fraud has been committed by the revenue officials by manipulation of records.
An enquiry was conducted and it was found that instead of 2 kanals and 14 marlas proprietary land compensation was paid for 15 kanals and 3 marlas and compensation of Rs. 45,18000 was released instead of actual amount of Rs 7,01,155 against one person.
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