Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 6: Some influential land mafia-men with the active connivance of a few insiders in the department, have grabbed prime Irrigation Department land worth crores in Patta Ploura area on Akhnoor Road here.
The land which is located on the main Jammu-Akhnoor-Rajouri- Poonch highway is just adjacent to CAPD office and police nakka, about 100 meters short of the first BSF campus bridge. There is permanent Police nakka in front of this site where Govt land grabbing took place during broad day light. Hardly five days back, an influential contractor along with his musclemen started operation and removed the old tin and steel structure raised in the middle of the land near old existing Tube well of the PHE Department, with the help of JCB and his men and raised plinth during the day time. Using large number of labourers and machinery, they carried on the operation.
They started digging plinth with the help of JCB and filled concrete plinth on about one kanal of land while about ten marla of the land was left open in front of the highway to dump construction material an mulba with the intentions to occupy the same in second phase. During construction, another party having patronage of a Youth Congress leader arrived there and they had heated exchanges and minor clash. The work was disrupted by the second party but later during the night, they covered remaining area also. They also raised board of Shishu Samadian at the site, just to divert the public attention. Some people informed the senior officers of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department who intervened after two days.
The sources revealed that this land was being grabbed actually with the connivance of some insiders as it is located at prime site on the highway having value worth over three to four crores. Therefore, some officials were silent over the issue. The material including bricks, stones, sand and gravel was lying dumped there at the site and they were waiting for the right opportunity to raise structure after this issue turns ‘cold’.
Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Choudhary when contacted revealed that he was not informed about the matter by his officers. The Minister said that he would direct the Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Rajiv Gandotra to hold inquiry and pin point the officials involved in the land scandal. He said that a joint team would hold detailed inquiry fixing responsibility. Who so ever is involved will not be spared. He said the plinth would be removed and FIR will also be registered against the Govt officials and Land grabbers.
Chief Engineer, I&FC, Rajiv Gandotra when contacted said that he has asked the concerned Estate Officer, Executive Engineer Vinod Bagati and own Revenue staff to conduct physical verification and stop the work immediately. He further said that he has also written to the Tehsildar Jammu for joint demarcation of the site which will be conducted within couple of days. Gandotra said that area is just near `an escape’ under the Ranbir Canal on Akhnoor Road in Patta Ploura area. He further said that strict action under law would be taken if the involvement of any Irrigation Department’s staff member was established in the matter. He assured to remove all the encroachments on the Irrigation land.
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