‘Authorities sit on proposal to convert idle government land into public park’

Inhabitants of Sheikpora in district Budgam have accused the authorities of sitting on a proposal for converting idle government land in the area into a public park.

The inhabitants said the authorities’ failure to develop the patch of land into a park has left the land open for the land mafia and the encroachers.

   

“Around 15 kanals government land are lying idle for decades at main Sheilkpora opposite Eidgah. For past many years we approached various departments requesting them to convert the land into a public park to save it from encroachment, but nothing has been done,” Farooq Khan, a resident said.

“Over the years, the land has been reduced to few kanals due to encroachment and if government did not wake up, the remaining land will also fell to the encroachments,” he said.

The residents said the spot is currently under revenue department and the district administration has “failed” to transfer it to floriculture department.

“We went to the floriculture department; they have proposed in writing to the authorities concerned to transfer the land to them so that they can develop it into a public park, but nothing has been done,” said Mehraj-ud-din, another resident.

“We are finding it hard to protect it from encroachment and if the administration did not wake up, we will lose the remaining patch of land,” he said. The residents said the land has become a dumping site due to the “callous approach” of authorities.

The aggrieved residents said the floriculture department cannot develop the land into a park unless it is transferred to it. “The floriculture department has written to the authorities in this regard several times.”

“There are various letters from the department requesting the authorities concerned to transfer the land so that it is developed into a public park,” the locals said.

When contacted, ADC Budgam, Khurshid Ahmed Shah expressed ignorance about the issue. “The issue has not come to my notice. I have chaired various meetings related to development works but such issue was never taken up,” he said, adding that he would look into it and address the issue accordingly.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

nineteen − 9 =