Demolition of a building in Kathua’s Shaheedi Chowk area triggered massive protest which also disturbed the traffic on Jammu-Pathankot highway for several hours besides officers from civil administration and local elected representative lock horns with each other and blamed later for unilateral decisions without consulting the governing council.
Eyewitness told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Municipal Council Kathua has ordered a building, which reportedly flaunts usage norm, as the owner got permission for a residential complex but opened a commercial mart.
“The team of municipal council led by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Santosh Kotwal launched the demolition in the early hours of the morning.
However, on the spot, the owners of the building and the local people protested against such action and later got the Kathua market closed and registered their anger.
Raising slogans against administration, the protestes assembled at Kali Bari chowk and blocked the movement of all vehicles on busy Jammu-Pathankot highway. The owners of the building alleged that the demolition drive was carried out without issuing any notice to them. They added that they have filed a plea in the high court and the hearing is scheduled for Friday.
The owner of the building, Mohinder Mahajan, reached the spot and raised objections to the government action. He asked the CEO to show the demolition notice. The CEO failed to produce it, resulting in anger among the traders’ community and triggering protests, the sources said.
Authorities alleged that the owners of the building had bribed officials to raise the structure illegally, resulting in heated arguments between the owners and officials. Police had to intervene to avert a clash between the two sides.
The Beopar Mandal Kathua has voiced concern over the development. Members of the organisation staged a protest against Kathua Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Minhas and raised anti-BJP slogans.
They started raising slogans against the District Administration and Municipal Council Kathua.
Joining the protest, President Municipal Council Kathua, Rajinder Singh Bubby along with other councilors, former minister Rajeev Jasrotia, Vice-Chairman of DDC, Kathua Raghunandan Singh and other dignitaries blocked the Jammu Pathankot National Highway.
President Municipal Council, Rajinder Singh Bubby said that rule of law now been followed by CEO.
“We are the elected representatives, how CEO carries demolition without even informing the elected body,” he said and adding that it seems that bureaucrats are more powerful that democratic setup, which don’t even bother tom follow law”.
As per official the owners of the building converted the residential complex into a commercial one. The municipal council had served a notice to the building owners. The matter was under the deputy commissioner’s consideration.
“We have filed an application in the high court. The hearing is scheduled for Friday itself. It is unfortunate that they damaged the structure without issuing any notice,” one of the owners told reporters.
The protesters have sat on a dharna, blocking a highway in the district. Police are requesting them to disperse to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.
DC Kathua reached the protest site and pacified the people, after that the Jammu Pathankot National Highway was completely opened.
Meanwhile, Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu, and Former Minister, Manjit Singh today has condemned the action of municipal authorities in Kathua in which they demolished a three floor commercial building for its alleged illegal construction.
In a statement to the press, the former minister said that the way civil administration and municipality has acted and punished the building owner and showroom owner was unprecedented and against the constitutional rights of the people.
“The incident has shocked all of us to the core as the people were left helpless with crores of liability on them and the complete destruction of the commercial structure which could have generated employment for local youth,” he said.
He appealed to the LG Manoj Singh for his intervention so that the Govt officials responsible for acting senselessly and causing huge damage to the private property in the name of illegal construction (without permission) should be punished.
He said that the administration and municipality could have imposed a penalty or sealed the building till the owners clear their issues with the authorities and get the permission.
However, the decision to demolish has further widened the gap between the LG administration and the people, he said, and added that the people feel isolated in absence of an elected Govt as no one listens to them.
He demanded that the J&K should have its own Govt and therefore, Assembly Elections should be announced as early as possible—(KNO)