Mayor’s tough words against accused enforcement staff that if found guilty will be suspended and terminated failed to create any impact as unauthorized constructions continuing unabated, no one so far held responsible for allowing unauthorized constructions in Wards 35 &36
Site behind where picture of Mayor accompanied by Commissioner JMC dated 23-4-2023 is basically corner residential plot in Ward-35, JDA Pandoka Colony ,Paloura where shuttering work on three unauthorized shops was being executed without maintaining setbacks making land use change and now the slab work stands completed
When contacted Enforcement Inspector deputed in Ward-35, 36 and local Corporator, both claimed having no knowledge about any complaints regarding construction of three unauthorized shops on residential plot when Mayor admitted that local Corporator had complained about unauthorized construction in Ward -35 with help of enforcement staff
GY CORRESPONDENT
jammu, jun 13
“Mayor for tough action against Enforcement Officers of two wards” This headline in print media dated April 23rd had generated a ray of hope that finally the enforcement staff of JMC will put to task for favoring violators for fulfillment of their vested interests at the cost of JMP-2032 after Mayor accompanied by Commissioner JMC during visit in Wards 35 and 36 asking the Commissioner to probe the role of Enforcement Officers concerned in the illegal constructions and if found guilty suspend them and terminate them further on confirmation of their guilt as the Enforcement Officers not even issued BOCA notice and the construction continued unabatedly in Wards 35 in front of Bread factory Paloura. Surprisingly the site behind where the picture of Mayor accompanied by Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation including another person in picture is basically corner residential plot in Ward-35, adjouning with public park Jammu Development Authority (JDA) Pandoka Colony, Paloura where shuttering work on three unauthorized shops was being executed without maintaining setbacks.
Locals had complained against these unauthorized shops but strangely nothing was done against owner and as a result of which slab work completed without maintaining setbacks and even extending galleries particularly towards front side without any public parking provision and further construction is going on. It deserves mentioning here that inspection was carried out by Mayor after office of the Mayor received complaints from different sections of the society including from former Chairman of Standing Committee of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Yashpal Sharma regarding the role of Enforcement Officers of JMC in encouraging illegal constructions. But when contacted local corporator Ward-35 Yashpal Sharma pretended having no knowledge about any complaint against construction of three unauthorized shops on residential plot without JMC permission when as per Mayor’s statement he was among complainants regarding unauthorized construction going on in Ward-35 due to help and patronage of JMC enforcement staff deputed in the area.
Worthwhile to mention here that the Mayor publically admitted during Ward-35 visit that that there are many issues that do exist due to which people do not come forward for building permissions and that JMC is coming out with new building by laws to address all these issues. Mayor also admitted that most of the Enforcement Officers look their own interests and create fear psychosis among the public only to earn illegal money. Mayor as per press note published in print media on 23-04-2023 asked JMC Commissioner to verify the building permissions of these constructions in the Wards 35 and 36 and why notices under section 7(1) and 7(3) we’re not issued by the concerned officer. Mayor even asked the Commissioner to probe the role of Enforcement Officers concerned in the illegal constructions and if found guilty suspend them and terminate them further on confirmation of their guilt as the Enforcement Officers not even issued notice and the construction continued unabatedly. These fine words speech further continued when Mayor said that while from the level of LG and Chief Secretary to JMC Commissioner, all are working hard to ensure transparency then how can Enforcement Officers defame entire personnel of JMC from the Commissioner to Safai Saathis level.The Mayor reiterated that none of the corrupt personnel shall be spared.
But despite all this ,more than one and half months have gone by but still there is no action in sight against accused enforcement staff responsible for allowing unauthorized constructions in Ward 35 and Ward 36 and unauthorized constructions continuing unabatedly. All this proves that the visit of Mayor and Commissioner JMC was eyewash and the words used against enforcement staff vested interests were aimed to grab media attention that he along with other JMC officials committed to ensure transparency and accountability in JMC functioning which still exists in papers only and the voilate commercial structure is intact as on date. This is evident from the fact that when Enforcement Inspector Indu Bhushan contacted regarding present status of three unauthorized shops 700 sft. area claimed having no knowledge about it and further said when Mayor visited ward-35 ,he was on leave and in his place the charge was given to enforcement Inspector Shahnawaz which only proves that JMC is absolutely non-serious in implementation of JMP-2032 and Unified Building Bye-laws 2021.
