KL News Network

Srinagar

Jammu Kashmir Wakf Board Thursday said that due to some ‘conscious less’ tenants, the Board is unable to generate the proportionate revenue. The Board said that these tenants and some people from business community want to earn Crores but hesitate to pay significant rent to the Board.

“We are unable to compete with the Vishnodevi Shrine Board and other Hindu Boards as there are people among us who want to eat the cake without paying for the same. We have neither assessed, nor increased the rent but we followed the directions of Supreme Court and fixed the rent on the basis of market value and locations. The protesting tenants and traders who possess Wakf shops are the main source of Board’s backwardness,” Vice Chairman Wakf Board Pir Muhammad Hussain said, “The Board will not revoke the decision related to the hike of rentals of shops leased out by Wakf Board.

Pertinently, scores of shopkeepers and traders under the banner of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) and Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) had staged protest against what they termed as “arbitrary and unjustified” hike of rentals of shops leased out by Wakf Board.

The Wakf Board Vice Chairman said that tenants in no way will be allowed to take undue advantage and they will be ‘forced’ to pay their rent as per the market value. “The revoking of this decision will prove disastrous. We hiked the rent by following the Supreme Court guidelines The Board wants to generate revenue to create assets and infrastructure for Muslim community. How will it be possible when selfish people will start raising hue and cry over a matter (rent enhancement) that is fully justified,” he said.

Pir Muhammad Hussain alleged that some tenant’s handover the proprietorship rights of their Wakf Shops to other parties receiving huge amounts from them as goodwill. “If the traders and tenants are not ready to pay desired rent, then they should evict the Wakf property,” he said.

Responding to a question, the VC Wakf Board said that people will witness a major change in the Board in coming months. “We will utilize all the resources to create new assets and infrastructure. (CNS)

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