Kaul’s house in non-permissible area ‘is just a routine matter’, says LAWDA vice-chairman

Kaul’s house in non-permissible area ‘is just a routine matter’, says LAWDA vice-chairman

Follow-Up

SRINAGAR: Authorities may not take any action against politician Dr Sameer Kaul for illegally constructing a residential house in non-permissible area close to the Dal Lake here because of the flaws in system and political considerations.
Dr Kaul, national spokesperson of opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is constructing the house near Sharab Kul, which has been declared non-permissible for construction by Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), the government body for maintenance and development of water bodies across Kashmir Valley.
As reported by Kashmir Reader on Wednesday, New Delhi-based Dr Kaul has purchased the house that was existing at the site and is now repairing it in violation of the norms that prohibit any kind of construction work in areas declared non-permissible. The structure has faced partial demolition by LAWDA during the course of its renovation, already.
However, insiders in LAWDA told Kashmir Reader that the case will be eventually ignored after mere paper work.
“The house was there even before this area was declared non-permissible by LAWDA, so the structure may not be completely demolished. In such cases, the authorities actually only hinder the construction work if it is brought into the notice by media or some other agencies. In reality, the action is only reduced to paper work,” a senior official in LAWDA said, wishing anonymity.
“That is how so many structures have come up in the non-permissible areas of late,” he added.
The flaw in the system has been sufficiently evident in the past as well. The officials said that political influence of the violators has been the major impediment in acting against them. “In Dr Kaul’s case for instance, we are receiving calls from various quarters asking us not to act,” the official said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Urban Development Nawang Ringzin Jora told Kashmir Reader that “I have passed instructions to LAWDA to inspect the matter.”
But LAWDA’s vice-chairman Irfan Yasin denied that any instruction had been passed on by the minister.
“What orders you talking about,” Yasin told Kashmir Reader. “It is just a routine matter. Our ground staff will look into it, and if there is any need for any action they will take it. It doesn’t need any special instructions from the government.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.