Saahil Suhail
Anantnag, July 27: A land scam worth Rs 1,600 cr has
surfaced in South Kashmir's Marhama area where a wetland spread over an area of
500 acres was allegedly allowed to be filled by the government.
It was filled by some land-grabbers with the alleged government
patronage. The wetland had been a place for years for the migratory birds.
Documents in procession of Early Times reveal that in the
month of August last year three Srinagar residents started filling the
submerged land in the village which according the department of Ecology,
Environment and Remote sensing, is wetland/marshy land spread over 500 acres in
a linear shape. The villagers, who are up in the arms against the state
government brought the issue to the notice of Deputy Commissioner Anantnag on August
24 in 2013 and demanded immediate halt on land filling process by the alleged
land gabbers.
Three persons, whom officials identified as Yesir Reshi, son
of Mohmmad Yousf Reshi of Hilalabad Nesabal, Sonawari, Srinagar, Abdul Majid
Sheikh, son of Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh of Tengpora, Srinagar, and Mukhtar Ahmad
Sheikh, son of Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh of Nowgam, Srinagar, managed to get
permission from revenue department for the conversion of the wetland for
agricultural purpose on February 19, 2014, against the norms.
Permission approval, signed by Under Sectary to Government
of Revenue department, is in procession of Early Times. It says: "I am
here directed to refer your letter No DCA/SQ/13/407WL/350 addressed to
divisional commissioner, Kashmir, with a copy endorsed to OSD of a minister
regarding the subject of upgrading the prosperity land for agricultural
propose, strictly according to laws governing the subject."
However, contrary to this, a deed between the alleged land
gabbers and Abdul Gani Bhat, a local affiliated to a political party, exposes
the government claim that it had been given for agriculture purpose. The deed
says that the alleged land grabbers after constructing a godown will employee
the local unemployed youth and the project will not be health hazardous or
create any nuisance for the local residents. The deed between them and one
Yasir Reshi, who has got the assembly ticket from a political party is
witnessed by an MLA.
On 8th of June this year local Panchayat too had passed a
resolution banning the filling of the wetland, besides challenging the Hiba
(Gift) documents acquired by the alleged land grabbers. Hiba, according to
Islamic Law, is the unconditional transfer of property. However, only a person
having the ownership of property can donate it to his grandson, women or any
other family member. So the documents according the panchayat resolution stand
no validity as the wetland is a government property and can't be transferred to
any private party.
On July 7 last, department of Ecology, Environment and
Remote sensing, while submitting its report, certified the land as wetland
while Tehsildar Bijebahara too had reported the same. However, the government
ignored these reports and allowed the filling of the wetland.
The conversion of wetland can also submerge the whole area
and create hydraulic disorder in the village, department of Ecology,
Environment and Remote sensing has maintained in its report, besides saying
that it would snatch home from dozens of species of migratory birds.
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