Srinagar, Feb 6: The past month encroachment bid to convert a public urinal into shop at the business hub of Lal Chowk must have embarrassed the government because such incidents are typical of comedy movies where leave apart bus-bays, famed Taj Mahal is often sold. Still, the administration didn’t order any probe as to who played the mischief in the heart of the summer capital. 
 Eyebrows are being raised over the government silence with many saying that the encroachment bid –one of the biggest and hilarious in the recent past –could be a deep rooted conspiracy of “land-mafia” active in the City.
 On January 8, following public allegations that a shutter has been erected at the loo entrance –about to be inaugurated as a shop –the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) sleuths woke up to demolish the encroachment.
 As for the government, the matter ended with the demolition. No inquiry was ordered to know as to who played the mischief literally under the nose of the authorities in the fortified area.
 This is despite the fact that the loo had been shut for public convenience for quite sometime with a shop like construction having changed the interiors.
 The arguments continue. The urinal, which is just a few feet away from Clock Tower, is under constant vigil of police and paramilitary personnel.
 Besides, the area is understood to be on surveillance of CCTVs monitored by the Police Control Room Srinagar.
 All this triggers a query. Why didn’t the government probe the encroachment bid?
 “Given the security arrangements in place there, it wasn’t difficult to find the culprits involved in the shady deal,” argues a retired official requesting not to be named.
 Sources at Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD) said the matter was downplayed by the “top brass”.
 Rumors are rife that the encroachment bid popped up last year during the controversial Lal Chowk beautification project, undertaken by the Tourism Department.
 “There is enough evidence to substantiate that some SMC officials and those from Tourism were aware of the encroachment. Still they preferred silence till people raised a hue and cry,” said an official at H&UDD.
 “But before an inquiry would be initiated, we were asked not to prolong the matter any further,” he added.
 Despite repeated attempts, the SMC Commissioner, Sheikh Mushtaq couldn’t be contacted for comment as his phone was switched off.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 6 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 6 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST