Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 19: In order to put full stop on the encroachments along the nullahs in Jammu, the administration has constituted multi departmental teams with the specific instructions to demarcate the land reclaimed following channelizing of major nullahs and raze whatever encroachments that have taken place on such patches of land till date.
Official sources told EXCELISOR that channelizing of major nullahs within Jammu city being conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) is leading to reclamation of huge patches of land and till date land has been reclaimed along more than 10 kilometer long stretch of the four major nullahs.
These nullahs are Gangyal Nullah (from Jodhamal Public School to MBS College of Engineering & Technology), Digiana Nullah (from downstream of Railway track and back side of Jai Hind Bakery near Ashram at Jeevan Nagar), Ashram Nullah (from downstream of Railway track near Marble Market to Gangyal Nullah near MBS College of Engineering & Technology) and Thanger Nullah (from Hotel Ritz near National Highway to Sanjay Nagar).
Since the reclaimed land has huge market value, the people have started making attempts to encroach the same right under the nose of the concerned agencies like Jammu Development Authority, Jammu Municipal Corporation and Housing Board, which have jurisdiction and control over such pieces of land, sources said while disclosing that even Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal has received inputs from various quarters about continuous attempts to encroach the reclaimed land particularly in Gangyal area.
Even the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the J&K ERA had in an official communiqué addressed to the Divisional Commissioner stressed the need for protection of the reclaimed land on war footing basis in order to prevent encroachments.
Yesterday, Divisional Commissioner convened meeting of Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Mandeep Kour, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh, Vice-Chairperson, Jammu Development Authority, Mubarak Singh and officers of the Housing Board wherein the protection of reclaimed land having huge market value was discussed threadbare.
After detailed deliberations, Divisional Commissioner constituted multi departmental teams comprising officers of the Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority, Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Jammu and officials of the Housing Board for carrying out demarcation of the land. “The Divisional Commissioner has given deadline of 15 days for completion of this entire exercise”, sources informed.
They further informed that these multi departmental teams would not only demarcate land but also remove whatever encroachment that has taken place on reclaimed land till date. Even explicit directions have been issued to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu to provide police assistance whenever requisitioned by the multi-departmental teams so as to ensure smooth demarcation and encroachment removal drive.
“The Divisional Commissioner has also directed the SSP that whosoever creates hurdles in demarcation and encroachment removal exercise shall be booked under relevant provisions of law for stern action as the entire land, which has become available following channelizing of nullahs, either belongs to JDA or Housing Board and nobody can stake claim for the same”, sources further informed.
When contacted, Divisional Commissioner, Dr Pawan Kotwal said, “the teams will have to stick to the time-line as delaying demarcation is fraught with the danger of losing the land”, adding “I have asked the JDA and Housing Board to install boundary pillars and even fence the land after demarcation so that trespassing is prohibited”.
In response to a question, he said, “there is a consensus that the reclaimed land should be used for creating green strips and other public facilities. Several areas like Sector 4 Nanak Nagar have been proposed for small parks”. Similarly, reclaimed land near cremation grounds at Channi Himmat and Shastri Nagar can be used for creation of vehicle parking areas, he added.
He further said, “creating other infrastructure on the reclaimed land would create impediments in cleaning of nullahs by the Jammu Municipal Corporation. Moreover, green strips would help in protection of environment”.
When asked about other nullahs in Jammu, the Divisional Commissioner said, “we have recommended that wherever the channelizing of nullahs is done the reclaimed land should be utilized only for creation of green strips/patches”.
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