Srinagar: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Saturday warned people to remove the “illegal structures” built over the Dhood Ganga Nallah.
In a notice, Srinagar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Athar Aamir Khan said that Dhood Ganga Nallah from Alochi Bagh to Chatabal is an important channel for the management of stormwater and for preventing urban flooding in Srinagar City.
The rejuvenation and restoration of Dhood Ganga Nallah from Alochi Bagh to Chatabal has been taken up under Srinagar Smart City Limited with Drainage Circle (Civil), SMC as the executing Agency, it reads.
“Whereas, it has been found that a number of encroachments and illegal structures have come up on the site of Nallah; Whereas, removal of these encroachments and illegal structures and restoration of Nallah is important for flood and stormwater management in the City,” reads the notice.
“Now, therefore, through this Public Notice, all such individuals/encroachers are given 07 days’ time from the issuance of this notice to remove all encroachments/illegal structures erected on and along the Nallah, failing which Srinagar Municipal Corporation shall initiate action including removal of these encroachments at the risk and cost of the offenders/encroachers,” reads the notice issued by Srinagar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Athar Aamir Khan.
Pertinently, the JK administration on January 9, issued a circular directing the deputy commissioners of the Union territory to ensure that “all encroachments on state land” were removed “to the extent of 100% by 31st January 2023”.
The demolition drive has picked its pace in both Jammu and Kashmir districts. However, locals say that they did not receive any prior notices from the administration.
Many of them also say that they had documents proving ownership of their properties, but the authorities did not give them an opportunity to present their claims before running bulldozers over their homes.
