SRINAGAR: Despite clear cut instructions given by the Honorable High Court to government authorities to remove all the illegal encroachments on the banks of rivers and irrigation cannals,the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has been violating these court orders and has given a free hand to the encroachers who according to respectable and conscious citizens are busy in garbing the government property.
A delegation from different areas of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district told CNS that few years back people from Kralpora and Machowa registered their protest and expressed resentment before the then Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Sub-Division Bugdam and Executive Engineer Marvel Lift Irrigation Scheme Pampore who made an on spot inspection at Kheer Koul running through Tull Bagh Machowa and found that encroachers have filled up almost whole of the irrigation canal and have grabbed specific part of it.
They said that the authorities of the department served notices to the culprits who were involved in illegal encroachment but till date no action on ground has taken against them. “The inaction on part of authorities clearly indicates that there is some sort of nexus between the grabbers and the officials,” the delegation said adding that a notification issued by the department to put a check on the encroachment has almost become ineffective.
“The government notification vide order number subdivision 30-33 dated 26/4/2014 and the notice from Executive Engineer Marvel Lift Irrigation Scheme Pamore bearing no-375-77 dated 15/05/2014 proved ineffective.” The locals said that encroachers are violating the norms while officials at the helm of affairs have been acting as mute spectators doing nothing to check the advancement of these land grabbers.
“Due to callous attitude of the authorities, the canal is on the verge of extinction. We appeal Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to look into the matter and free the vital canal from the possession of land grabbers,” they said. When contacted Minister for PHE Sham Lal Chowdary said that he will seek a detailed report from the concerned officials and will himself visit the spot.