Divisional commissioner, Sanjeev Verma on Monday directed enforcement agencies to take stringent measures and heighten surveillance to prevent illegal mining on Tawi river bed and removal of unauthorised constructions along the river banks.
Chairing a meeting to review the implementation of Jammu and Kashmir High Court directions issued in response to a string of PILs, the divisional commissioner asked the concerned departments to identify the unauthorised and illegal constructions in the city areas and the catchment area of Tawi River and initiate extensive anti encroachment drive.
He asked the geology and mining department to properly demarcate the auction beds and initiate stern action against the illegal mining. He further directed for taking action against illegal stone crushers not following the set norms and guidelines.
The meeting was attended by SSP Jammu, Vivek Gupta, chief engineer PHE Ashok Gandotra, chief engineer Irrigation and Flood Control KK Magotra, commissioner JMC Arvind Kotwal, VC JDA PS Rathore, DFO Jammu Sat Paul, joint director geology and mining Manisha Sarin, assistant commissioner revenue Nissar Ahmed, project manager ERA Ajay Gupta, executive engineer UEED, deputy director tourism besides other senior functionaries of various departments.
Joint director geology and mining apprised the divisional commissioner that the CCTVs have been installed on various locations to keep check on illegal activities, while out of 14 unauthorized stone crushers 8 have been sealed.
The divisional commissioner asked the SSP Jammu to prepare a surveillance grid where intercepting and surveillance unit will be located and manpower will be placed.
He instructed the concerned functionaries for maintaining a daily visual evidence of the identified areas and deal firmly if any change in the status that indicates any encroachment or illegal construction is noticed. He directed VC Jammu Development Authority to complete the Geo tagging of the areas falling within its jurisdiction.
He asked the departments to share the details of illegal structure with police so that necessary action can be initiated and further directed for conducting physical verification of status of illegal encroachments.
He asked the JMC, JDA and Revenue departments to nominate officers within their areas to make roundups to restrict illegal construction.
He asked them to take legal action against the person who creates hurdle during anti encroachment drives.