HC seeks details of obstructors in anti-encroachment drive

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 18

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the authorities concerned to furnish the details of the persons creating hurdles in removal of encroachments along the water bodies, particularly historic Padshahi Canal, so that contempt of court proceedings are initiated against them.

These orders have been issued by a Division Bench of the High Court, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking removal of encroachments from the river and other water bodies of Kashmir.

Earlier in its orders on November 24, the High Court had asked the Chief Engineer of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to furnish the property details of the officers who were posted to monitor Padshahi Canal in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir from 1990 till date.

The width of the Padshahi Canal, which originally ranged from 17 ft to 27 ft, has now shrunk to 3 ft-5 ft, as per the officials.

“Details should be given to the court whosoever creates hurdles in removal of encroachments (along Padshahi Canal) so that contempt of court proceedings are initiated against them,” the High Court has told the Chief Engineer of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department in its orders made available today.

The HC has also asked the petitioners to file their response to the status report submitted by the authorities concerned. The court in its earlier orders had also asked the I&FC officials to explain why action in accordance with law shall not be initiated against them for alleged dereliction of duty as far as the encroachments along the Padshahi Canal are concerned.

The High Court in its orders had also observed that the silence of the Chief Engineer on this important issue needs to be understood in the backdrop that this land has been encroached upon by the land mafia.

“The Chief Engineer and other statutory authorities will be personally responsible to restore the Padshahi Canal to its original width along its entire course. The Chief Engineer and other statutory authorities in order to accomplish the said purpose would be at liberty to seek police assistance,” the court had observed in the earlier orders while directing the Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, to provide necessary police assistance to the authorities concerned as and when the request is made for the same.