After floods, massive anti-encroachment drive along Jhelum

Authorities here today launched a massive anti-encroachment drive along the banks of the Jhelum river to restore the water body to its original form.
The drive was launched on the directions of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and prohibitory orders were also clamped.
Scores of illegal structures, boundary walls and thousands of trees were removed from the banks of the river during the drive, an official spokesman said.
"Implementing the instructions of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the district administration Srinagar launched a massive anti-encroachment drive along the banks of river Jhelum to restore its width to its original position," he said.

He said the drive would continue till all encroachments along the banks of the river are removed as per the directions of the High Court.
The District Administration also asked all the people whose structures fall within the demarcation made by the Revenue, Irrigation and Flood Control Departments to voluntarily remove the encroachments, the spokesman said.

In order to maintain law and order during the demolition drive, District Magistrate Srinagar has ordered imposition of prohibitory orders in areas where demolition squads are performing their duties.
He said the drive has been simultaneously launched by a joint team of officers of Revenue, Police (including women police contingent), Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Irrigation and Flood Control Departments from Sempora and Panzinara under the overall supervision of Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Assistant Commissioner Revenue Srinagar.

A similar anti-encroachment drive was started in Ganderbal district as well but the authorities had to face stiff resistance from the affected people, who protested against the move.