STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: State Vigilance Commission (SVC) on Wednesday directed the Custodian General to take immediate action and submit an action taken report (ATR) before it on illegal constructions in Kupwara district. “SVC has directed the Custodian General to take immediate action and furnish a compliance report before it about illegal constructions raised over evacuee properties in Karnah tehsil of Kupwara district,” said an SVC officer. SVC took cognizance on a complaint lodged by Abdul Rehman Pathani against revenue officials alleging their involvement in “large-scale irregularities and corrupt practices”, besides accusing them of “misusing their official position” and issuing various fake and fictitious mutations vis-a-vis migrant properties in Karnah tehsil and sought a factual report from SDM, Karnah. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), after a thorough on-the-spot inquiry, prima facie established that a number of illegal constructions over evacuee properties were raised and it remained unexplained as to why and how the encroachers were allowed to construct on evacuee land illegally, the officer said. SVC, based on these findings, directed the Custodian General to constitute a fact-finding committee and submit a report to it. The committee comprising the Deputy Custodian, Sanatnagar, the Deputy Custodian, Baramulla and the Deputy Custodian (Legal) established the allegations of illegal constructions on the custodian land, the officer said. The Custodian General has now issued orders to Custodian, Evacuee Properties, Kashmir for immediate action under relevant provisions of law under J&K State Evacuees (Administration of Property) Act, 2006 and initiate necessary action against the illegal occupants, he said. The commission, taking a serious note of encroachments and constructions on evacuee properties at the hands of private persons, with the active connivance of officers of Custodian and Revenue Departments, has directed the Custodian General for immediate action as per law against all the accused and submit an action taken report before it on the next date of hearing i.e August 30, he said.