Sumo drivers forcibly takeover SDA Stores near Sangarmaal Will take action against violators: Div Com SmallerDefaultLarger Srinagar, Aug 25: A group of about 50 Sumo drivers, allegedly accompanied by land mafia and equipped with bulldozers, broke into the Store premises of Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) near Sangarmaal City Centre on MA Link Road here last night to establish an illegal Sumo stand there. According to reports, around 100 people boarding a fleet of about 50 Sumos arrived at the spot at 11.00 pm and started vandalizing the SDA property with the help of bulldozers. “They broke open the SDA stores and vandalized the structures including sheds where SDA store items including iron bars, steel iron plates, pipes and furniture worth lakhs of rupees were lying,” said an SDA official, who was present at the spot. He said although the divisional administration and the police were immediately informed about the incident, no tangible action was taken against the trespassers. The brazen land-grab and establishment of illegal Sumo stand in the high-security zone has raised heckles as the official residences of several VVIPs including the Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers, senior Police Officers as also the MLA Hostel are located in this area. According to eyewitnesses, the team of officers from the SDA Enforcement Wing, who tried to prevent the trespassing of the Stores, were abused and assaulted by the encroachers who outnumbered the former. “We have lodged a formal complaint with police station Kothibagh regarding the trespassing of SDA Stores and theft of SDA property worth lakhs of rupees,” Abdul Aziz Khawaja, Deputy Director, Enforcement, said. He said the copies of the complaint have also been dispatched to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, DC Srinagar, IGP Kashmir, DIG Srinagar-Budgam Range, SSP Srinagar and other concerned officers in the civil and police administration. Establishment of illegal Sumo Stand on over-busy MA Link Road, a vital connection to the Old City, has evoked massive public resentment and even the shopkeepers of Sangarmaal City Centre are up in arms against it. The SDA, various civil society groups and Sangarmaal Traders Association have decided to approach the State High Court against the encroachment as the Court has already called for immediate shifting of Sumo stands from the Civil Lines areas to decongest the Srinagar City. “I have already informed the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Commissioner/Secretary Housing and other civil and police authorities about the matter and SDA will be submitting a formal application on the issue before the Chief Justice tomorrow in view of the fact that PIL on traffic congestion is pending disposal in the High Court,” said Muhammad Shafi Rather, Vice-Chairman SDA. When contacted Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Shailendra Kumar said; “The DC Srinagar, VC SDA and IGP Kashmir will be visiting the area to take stock of the situation there. If any trespassing has taken place, I assure you we won’t be lenient in any case,” he said. Several prime properties of SDA in Srinagar city including a patch of land at Bohri Kadal, Terminal Building of the General Bus Stand Batamaloo and around 16 kanals of SDA land in erstwhile Doodh Ganga Nallah, Batamaloo have been, of late, taken over by land-mafia in connivance with some politicians of Srinagar. Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Aug 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Aug 2013 18:30:00 GMT Lastupdate on : Mon, 26 Aug 2013 00:00:00 IST
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 02:59:15 +0000
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