DM orders immediate survey on conversion of agricultural land in Srinagar

Srinagar: The District Magistrate (DM) Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has issued an order directing for immediate holding of survey in respective Patwar Halqas on illegal conversion of agricultural land for commercial or residential purposes in the district and furnishing of updated asami-wise lists with all relevant details within two weeks. The step has been taken to implement the directions of the J&K High Court and to ensure prevention of violations on ground of provisions of the J&K Agrarian Reforms Act (Section 13) and the J&K Land Revenue Act (Sections 133-A and 133-B), and stringent action as per law in case of violations thereof.
According to the order, all the Tehsildars have been directed to conduct extensive inspections within their respective jurisdictions and prepare lists of illegal constructions or conversion of agricultural land or earth-filling in water bodies or other illegal encroachments in their respective Tehsils and submitting detailed action plans for removals thereof.
The DM also directed the Forest department to furnish the detailed information regarding the encroachments on the forest land, if any, and in wetlands in the district.
The Lakes & Waterways Development Authority and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation have also been asked to conduct comprehensive surveys of encroachments and illegal constructions in their respective domains and furnishing the details in this regard to the DM Office within two weeks. It has been stressed that the reported encroachments to be removed as a part of the Tehsil-wise encroachment removal plans.
Violation of instructions shall attract strict disciplinary action against the officials failing to report or indicate the violations of relevant law provisions in concerned revenue records.
The order also instructs concerned SHOs and Traffic authorities to ensure that except those with valid transportation permissions indicating date and time, no movement of trucks carrying construction material be allowed anywhere in the district.
The LAWDA, SMC and Forest Department have been asked to immediately set up night checkpoints at entry points to prevent night time transportation of material for illegal constructions. It directs for immediate seizure of all such vehicles or load-carriers transporting construction material in violation of guidelines in this regard. It also instructs for strict maintenance of registers recording all important details of all such vehicles allowed or seized at these checkpoints.
An amount of Rs. 2 lakh each has been sanctioned in favour of Tehsildars for assistance in digitization of encroachment and illegal land conversion details, formulation of encroachment removal plans and assistance required to be acquired for operations involving removal of such encroachments.
The Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, K K Sidha will oversee the implementation of the order and obtain daily information on progress report and action taken against instances of illegal constructions or movement of transportation material there for.