Srinagar, Nov 20: Admitting that many residential colonies in Srinagar have been constructed in violation of the Master Plan, Deputy Chief Minster, Tara Chand Tuesday said state government would act “tough against the officials found resorting to corruption and infact will terminate their services” if they are found involved in violation of the building permission bylaws.
 “During past 20 years of turmoil many residential colonies have come up in City in an unplanned manner. There was no accountability due to armed struggle and infact the government was not in position to do anything regarding controlling such violations,” Tara Chand said adding “We’ll act tough against the officials found resorting to corrupt practices and infact will terminate their services.” The Deputy CM was speaking at a function on “Sustainable Tourism- Environment and Infrastructure” organized by Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA) and Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF).
 He urged officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and other concerned with the implementation of Master plan to maintain strict check on illegal constructions popping up in the City. “No unauthorized construction should take place. It is the responsibility of officials to check that no violations take place,” he added.
 Speaking tough he maintained that the state government would not only take action against the violators of the Master Plan but would also terminate the officials involved.  
 Tara Chand said that paddy land was shrinking inch-by-inch due to unauthorized constructions which are taking place on the agricultural land. “People are constructing residential houses, hotels, offices, business establishments on the land in violation of laws, while officials at the helm of the affairs act as a mute spectators,” he said.
 The Deputy CM said that the state government was reviewing Master plan and the process would be completed at an earliest.
 On beautification of Dal Lake, Tara Chand said that Union government approved Rs 356 crores for Dal dwellers. “We are identifying land to relocate the Dal dwellers in order to rehabilitate them at other places. Deweeding and drenching of the lake is going on in order to clean the lake of silt and other pollutants,” he said.
 He claimed that scientific test conducted on water of Dal lake reveals that it was becoming cleaner.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 20 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST