Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, May 13: About 32 kanals of prime land of J&K Government, worth over Rs 150 crore, purchased by the then Dogra rulers at Amritsar before partition has been grabbed by some influential politicians of Punjab while the State Government is sleeping over the matter.
While nearly 20 kanal (19.4 kanal) J&K Govt land on 2- Court Road, Amritsar, purchased by the State Government during early 1950s, valuing over Rs 120 crore, where JK House is located, is still under the control of the State Government, but this property has been lying in shambles due to the apathy of the J&K Government. If the State Government continued its indifferent stance towards this property, it will also go out of the hands of the J&K Government.
Official sources told the Excelsior that JK House at Amritsar is facing official apathy as out of the total sanctioned strength of 18, just four employees, including a daily wager are managing its affairs. There is no gardener to look after the 19.4 kanal Guest House at Court Road and more than 60 % of the plot has been virtually converted into ‘jungle’ with big bushes grown all over. The only gardener posted there also retired few months ago and nobody was placed there. The guests from J&K and even those who go for Medical treatment and want to stay there, are generally told that there is no space, while the fact remained that more than 50 percent of this space has been occupied by some staff members and their relatives.
While the official quarter of the Manager Estates has been closed for want of minor maintenance, he has shifted to guest room at the main building, leaving just two rooms for the visiting guests and just one VIP suit. Other three rooms, meant for guests have also been closed for the last several years for want of some furniture items (beds) and minor repair work.
The Management there has also stopped the operation of the kitchen at this JK House despite the fact that good kitchen with crockery, utensils, LPG cylinders, furniture etc. is available there. Even the breakfast or morning/ evening tea is not served to the guests staying there with no justified reason to explain by the staff there.
Sources further revealed that 32.9 kanal prime land on Tapai Road (Dam Gunj) in Amritsar belonging to J&K Government has allegedly been grabbed by three persons including a
politician Inderjit Singh Blaria and his family besides one Kuldip Kumar and Balbir Sharma. One of them created plots on this land and even sold a few to some parties, the other two raised shops and sublet the same and also carrying agriculture activities on the same.
The sources further said that these families had managed land on lease in connivance with the then some top officials from J&K at the helm of affairs but the lease period has also expired now. They continued their possession on the said J&K property. The J&K Government moved to the court and also won the case but it has failed to get the land vacated, an official of JK House told on the condition of anonymity.
The sources also revealed that a former Chief Minister about two decades back tried to sell this 20 kanal land J&K property on Court Road, Amritsar to a big politician from Akali Dal for the purpose to raise a five Star Hotel there some time back, but with the intervention of Estates Employees Union of Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar this secret deal was exposed and process stalled forthwith. The then opposition leaders also got activated and strongly opposed the move and the plot of shelved.
Principal Resident Commissioner, Delhi, RK Gupta when contacted said, “No doubt we have good property at Amritsar, yet there is need to bring some improvement and provide more facilities there. I recently visited there and found some management issues as well as other problems as well. We have shortage of staff there. We are contemplating on outsourcing its operation. Another problem which we are facing there is that employees from J&K are not prepared to go there and work. We will definitely improve facilities by providing additional funds and make the remaining available rooms operational for guests.”
Responding to another question, Gupta said now Amritsar has international airport and guests from J&K started visiting in good number. Many patients from J&K also go for Medical treatment there as well. ” We have lot of land there but additional rooms are still needed there. At JK House in Chandigarh, additional rooms were constructed and facilities were upgraded. Now, Amritsar will also get due attention. The matter related to shortage of staff and operation of kitchen would also be resolved shortly at Amritsar,” Gupta maintained.
When asked about the grabbing of nearly 32 kanal prime land of J&K Government by three local persons including a politician at Amritsar and inaction by the State Government to get back that land, the Principal Resident Commissioner said, ” We are pursuing that case in the court. In fact, we had won the case also but process of taking over the control of land has been initiated. These are long legal issues and are time consuming. But it is sure that J&K Government is following the case.”
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