Jammu, April 03 (Scoop News) – Speaker Legislative Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone today decided to constitute a 3- member committee which will inspect the places in Pattan constituency where wet lands are allegedly being filled by some persons, thereby posing a threat to the ecology and environment.
Directions in this regard were given by the Speaker in response to the statement of the Minister for Revenue and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla, wherein quoting Divisional Commissioner Kashmir’s report, the Minister said that the land filling in the area has been stopped.
However, MLA Pattan Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari while contesting the report of the revenue officers said that it is not based on facts and suggested that a committee of members should be deputed to assess the situation on the spot and stop filling of wet lands in the area.
Earlier, the Minister in his statement said that the “Deputy Commissioner Baramulla has reported that Shri Reyaz Ahemd Bhat and others approached his office with an application for allowing them for improvement of their land for making it cultivable by way of earth filling as they intend to convert the Banjr land into orchard by earth filling. He said report in the matter has been obtained from Tehsildar Pattan who reiterated that the land under reference is barren- Banjr Qadeem and is not agricultural land, besides it remains always filled with water supporting the growth of “Pechi”. The application under reference was forwarded to Tehsildar Pattan for taking necessary action under Land Revenue Act subject to the condition that section 133 of the Land Revenue is not violated and to ensure that the matter is not sub-judice before court of law.
Quoting the Deputy Commissioners report, Bhalla said the applicants had sought the permission on the basis of an order issued by Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar pursuant to order issued by Division Bench of the High Court in similar cases falling in village Rambirgarh adjustment to the land under reference. The MLA Pattan has already been apprised about the facts when he expressed his resentment in this behalf. It is worthwhile to mention here that the Hon’ble High Court of J&K has restrained the office of Deputy Commissioner for taking any further action in the matter by virtue of order dated 19-09-2011 in the case Reyaz Ahmed V/s State and others”.
Quoting the report of Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, the Minister said that previously filling in village Shilvat was started by some land owners which has already been stopped. At present no such encroachment is reported on wet land in Tehsil Sonawari.
Quoting the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar’s report, Bhalla said “As per the report of Tehsildar South Srinagar no encroachment by way of filling is going on in Halqa Panzinara which is adjacent to Tehsil Pattan and Sonawari. However a road is under construction from Mirgund to Trigam under MGNERGA Scheme where filling is going on.
The Minister said that explicit instructions have been given to Deputy Commissioners to restrain the people in general and miscreants in particular from violation of provisions of section 133 of Land Revenue Act.
The Minister while sharing the concern of the members about land filling of wet lands, assured the House that nobody would be allowed to tamper with the environment and ecology and vowed to act tough against any nexus in this regard. He said the matter will be investigated in depth and old revenue records will also be checked to ascertain the facts in this regard.
Leave Your Comments