by Samreena Nazir
Srinagar: The residents of Boat colony Khanabal area of district Islamabad living in tin sheds on the banks of Jhelum continues to suffer since their residential houses were devastated in 2014 floods.
Residents said that after the floods of 2014, damaged their houses they were not allowed by the authorities to reconstruct their houses. The residents were also told by the authorities that an alternate land will be offered to them but till date, the promises are yet to be fulfilled.
“We reside here from past sixty years and our all the encroachments here are legal under Roshni Act, 2007. We had also received No Objection Claim (NOC) from flood and revenue department regarding the same, but after the floods, the authorities strictly banned the construction of new houses,” said a local resident Aijaz Ahmed.
“Even we were promised to provide an alternate land but it has been four years no initiative was taken by the government till now, Aijaz added.
Residents said that the delay in the finalization has led residents to suffer more, adding that the locals can get some respite only after the authorities allow them to construct “It is the irony that the authorities have failed to frame the issue in three years despite being grilled by time and again, said another resident Rukaiya.
“We were even assured by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that a separate land will be provided to us but since then there is no improvement in the case,” Rukaiya added.
Meanwhile, when Kashmir Life contacted Deputy Commissioner Islamabad he said that the administration is on it and the residents would be provided the land soon under the scheme called (Prime Minister’s AWAS Yojana Housing For All).
