Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Oct 11: Minister for Public Health Engineering, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, today offered to resign from the State Cabinet if the allegations of encroachment of forest land at Sedow in Shopian are proved right.
Taj was responding to the allegations of Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Syed Mohammad Rafiq Shah of National Panthers Party who said that the Minister has encroached huge chunk of forest land at Sedow-Shopian. The MLC stressed for setting up of the House Committee that would probe the whole issue.
Meanwhile, Legislative Council Chairman, Amrit Malhotra has said that he would examine the documents submitted by the MLC in support of his allegation. He said that he would also go through the documents provided by the Minister in support of his defence.
Raising the deferred question in the Legislative Council, Rafiq Shah said that the PHE Minister has encroached 13 kanals of forest land while taking advantage of his official position. He said Tehsildar Shopian and Divisional Forest Officer, Shopian have submitted their report indicating that forest land has been encroached upon by the Minister.
Rafiq Shah produced the copy of Tehsildar Shopian report submitted to Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Organization Kashmir. The report said that the status of State land under the occupation of Taj Mohi-ud-Din is illegal and unauthorized. It said the Minister has brought the land under survey numbers 4/1 and 1162/709 measuring 10 kanals and three kanals respectively under the fencing by erecting barbed wire along with his proprietary that has been measured under survey number 3.
The legislator also produced a copy of the report of DFO Shopian who has said that Range Officer, Shopian has confirmed that the land attributed to Roshni Act by the PHE Minister is purely forest land because of the fact coniferous green crop exists on the ground.
“This issue is of serious nature and speaks about the influence being used by the Minister in order to encroach upon the forest land. My submission is simple that a House Committee should be formed so that the people know the truth. Both the revenue and forest authorities have confirmed about the encroachment. The Minister has no right whatsoever to remain in chair and he should immediately demit his office,” said Rafiq Shah.
In his reply, the Forest Minister Mian Altaf Ahmad said that as per the revenue authorities no illegal possession of forest land by any sitting Minister has been established so far in the Sedow forests. He said the Forest Department has been directed to re-verify the case adding that there is no need for the minister to resign from his ministry.
In his defence, the PHE Minister told the Legislative Council that Rafiq Shah has produced fudged documents in the House and has misled the House. He said he is in possession of the orchard falling near the Sedow forests and the revenue authorities have from time to time issued necessary documents. He said that he is in possession of 31 kanals of land and that he would seek action against the legislator.
“A member has leveled serious allegations against me and it is my duty to set the record straight. I am in possession of the land since 1970 while as the revenue records are present since 1983. Out of 31 kanals, I have got the proprietary rights on 19 kanals while as the rest was State land in my possession. I have already applied for the transfer of the State land in my favour under the Roshni Act and there is no hanky panky on this issue,” said Taj while talking to media persons before defending himself on the floor of the House.
Taj said that Rafiq Shah misbehaved during a meeting of District Development Board, Kupwara and that is the reason for the allegations leveled by the legislator against him (Taj). He said since he is the chairman of DDB Kupwara he has every right to set the things in right direction.
“A complaint on this issue was lodged at State Accountability Commissioner and the same has been dismissed. The allegations are part of the malign campaign aimed against me and I would respond to it strongly. If anybody proves that I have encroached one kanal of forest land I would resign from the ministry. I would bring a privilege motion against the legislator since he has pointed fingers towards me,” said Taj.
He said that a Minister has become most vulnerable in the present day context since anybody can point finger towards him and accuse him of wrong doings. He said some people are hell bent on defaming the image of Congress adding that these people would be taught a lesson.
As Taj completed his statement in the House, Legislative Council chairman said that since the MLC and the Minister have produced documents he would examine them before reaching to any conclusion.
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