In a broad daylight, dozens of tractors of soil have been excavated and transported to some ‘unknown place’ without following the due procedure in north Kashmir’s Langate from the premises of a government school.
As per reports, earth cutting took place in the premises of Govt. Middle School Langate in Kupwara a few days ago, however, the cutting was done without following due procedures.
Besides the illegal excavation, the soil cutting posed a grave threat to nearby structures adjacent to Govt. Middle School, Langate.
“Earlier this week some unknown persons entered into the premises of Govt. Middle School, Langate with excavators and tippers and started digging in the govt. institution and moved several soil tippers to an unknown location”, sources said.
The sources said that during this whole exercise nor any official order was produced nor school administration was informed. “The digging and soil excavation was done during Holiday when there was no official presence in the school”, the sources added.
Headmaster, Govt. Middle School Langate, Nisar Ahmed said earlier Municipal Committee President Langate approached him for earth cutting in the school premises. “I told him that we will inform higher-ups about the matter and will convey it to you accordingly”, the headmaster said.
“I didn’t allow them to proceed. But later when we came to know that tippers and excavator led by MC President Langate pressed machinery and took volume of soil from our premises without informing us”, the headmaster continued.
When KNS contacted MC President Langate Shahnawaz Abdullah, he said, “Since the school is in my municipal area, I often visit the school to take stock of the things. Last week I have been informed about abandoned building for which I was asked for funds.
Since there was option of some earth cutting to generate funds so I made the earth cutting for which I have available GR government royalty of amount 8000”, a recept copy of lying with me, he said.
We choose the off day for digging to avoid any inconvenience to class work. He however, ‘Headmaster’ also raised the lack space for which he asked some earth cutting in the school premises for the construction of community toilet, he said.
“The amount will be utilised for school infrastructure”, he however added.
Meanwhile locals have expressed anger against violation of due procedures and demanded independent probe into the matter to expose the truth.
CEO Kupwara, Abdul Hamid Fani said, “I will look into the matter and keeping its seriousness, a legal action will be initiated.”(KNS)