Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 21: The Lakes and Waterways Authority (LAWDA) has expressed its inability to deal with the encroachers who have encroached the world famous Dal lake and submitted that Land mafia is making wrong impression in general public against LAWDA.
Vice Chairman of LAWDA, Sarmand Hafiz, in his compliance report to High Court states that the authority is facing a lot of difficulties and opposition against clearing the lake from encroachments.
The VC says that the authority is lacking manpower in its enforcement wing while making demolition drive against illegal and unauthorized constructions in and around the Dal lake as there is a stiff resistance from general public.
Sarmand submitted before the court that the authority (LAWDA) is having insufficient human resource as well as the machinery in its enforcement wing compared to the sister concern of Housing and Urban Development Department and requested the Government for transferring the powers under control of building operations act to Srinagar Municipal Corporation for achieving the goal.
“In the recent past an effort was made by submitting a proposal before Board of Directors in its 20th meeting held on 29.12.15 to strengthen the enforcement Wing on the module of SMC. As has already been submitted before the HC that said meeting of LDA convened after a time of 3 ½ years and all the measure issues including that strengthening of EW was placed before the Board. As a follow up of same and in view of attachment of seven officials of EW a proposal was also submitted to the Govt vide NO. LDA/87/6747-51 dated: 14.1.16 with further request that if it is deemed feasible the power under COBA can be transferred to SMC in order to achieve the desired objectives”, reads the report.
It is further submitted in the report that the authority (LAWDA) requested all the law enforcing agencies including Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and DC Srinagar for intervening into the matter and police were also requested for providing adequate security for conducting the demolition from Saida Kadal to Ashai Bagh, and the demolition was proposed for 28.1.16 but could not be carried out due to surcharged atmosphere and apprehensions of law and order problem as informed by law Enforcement Agency and was accordingly rescheduled for 1.2.16 . “On that day too, the demolition could not be conducted as the mob could not be controlled by the police and the Enforcement Wing of the authority was not allowed to penetrate in the area”, says VC LAWDA while expressing its inability to deal with encroachers and encroachments.
Mentioning about some illegal constructions VC in its report submits that accused took the advantage of the sacred days of Muharram and managed to reconstruct the said structure as in these days the authority could not conduct any demolition keeping in view the religious sentiments of the area. “However, the owner was repeatedly warned not to carry out the illegal construction and as a deterrent measure 4 FIRs have been lodged against the accused in the concerned Police Station”, VC says.
The area, according to VC LAWDA, is thickly populated every time even when a single demolition is attempted people in large number come out on the streets to thwart the demolition attempts and hold violent protests. “It is important to state here that the land Mafia of the area have given an impression to the general public particularly the inhabitants from Saida Kadal to Ashai-Bagh that the authority intends to demolish all the structures irrespective of their age which in fact is denied but the fact of the matter is that the authority intended to demolish those new illegal constructions which were coming up in the area”, report says.
He further submits that the vested interests in the area tried to build up passions last month and provoked a boy for immolation in order to thwart the demolition drive and divert attention to this unfortunate incident. “It may be pointed out that the house of the family of the boy was not a recent construction and was not to be demolished”, the report says.
Court has also been informed that Board of Directors have approved formulation of vision Documents through IIT Rorkee. The offer of the authority (LAWDA) has been accepted by the IIT Roorkee and a team from Rorkee is expected to visit Srinagar for working out modalities and they have indicated that the Vision Document shall be completed by the end of July 2016 if everything goes normal.
“Besides in terms of Board decision, they have been asked to formulate DPRs for
Up-gradation of old 3 STPs and installation of STP at Telbal to which they have agreed and are likely to visit as above. After visiting the site they will quote their offer along with time period and proposed technology could be adopted and the same shall be placed before the Government for arrangement of funds. The matter is being followed up with them vigorously”, report mentions.
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