Kulgam, June 25: Local Gujjars of Kund encroached Rural development department land illegally at Nowbugh Kund area of Kulgam district and started construction on it without without availing proper permission from the concerned department.
Sources said the land was transferred by Revenue Department to Rural development department (RDD) in 2007 for construction of hutments for survivors of 2005 snowstorm in Nowbugh, Kund of Kulgam district, but after the completion of hutments there remain some patches of land at the site as vacant which is under RDD but the land mafia (Gujjars) is enjoying a field day and they continue to grab same land and started illegal construction on it without any permission from the concerned department.
Locals said that these encroachers are Local Gujjars, they accused the authorities of the RDD of being in league with the land mafia in the construction of illegal structures.
“The district administration should intervene to stop the encroachment of the land,” said, a local resident.
Block Development Officer (BDO) Devsar who is also an additional charge of Block Kund, Arif Ayaz, when contacted said that he had issued orders for the necessary action after the issue was brought into our notice and we have taken the issue seriously and that the action will be taken against those involved.
Meanwhile, A joint team of revenue and RDD led by Naib Tehsildar Nowbugh, Qazi Mushtaq visited to the spot and have taken cognisance of the issue and said strict action would be taken against these encroachers for violating the govt norms.