Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir’s Housing & Urban Development has come up with an advisory, directing its staff to report building permission violations/encroachments within time to curb illegal constructions.
The department came up with the advisory after Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB) alerted it that illegal constructions are not being reported timely by its field staff to higher-ups. “It has been brought to notice of the administrative department through various sources including Anti-Corruption Bureau, J&K that illegal constructions are not being reportedly timely by the field staff. Thus, it transpires that these illegal constructions are carried out due to negligence/carelessness of the field staff who are entrusted with responsibility of checking such illegal constructions,” reads the advisory, a copy of which is in possession of Precious Kashmir.
The department has warned disciplinary action against employees for unreported/ delayed violations. “All Head of the Departments(HODs) under the administrative control of this department are enjoined upon to direct the field staff to remain vigilant and assign specific responsibilities to them to report such building permission violations well in time to avoid illegal constructions and in cases of unreported/ delayed violations of building permissions, disciplinary action as warranted under should be immediately taken against such employees,” the advisory states.
The H&UDD is the administrative department of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, 74 municipal committees, six municipal councils.
From time to time, these departments have come under criticism for allowing illegal constructions within their respective jurisdiction.
It is worthwhile to mention that divisional commissioner Kashmir P.K. Pole had directed authorities in November last year to take action against building permission violations within the Srinagar Municipal Corporation limits.
The directions were passed by him after commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation apprised him that 11 such cases have come into their notice.
