Imtiyaz Pandow
Budgam
Budgam, Sept 12: A demolition drive against illegal encroachments in the famous tourist destination Doodpathri has received serious criticism against the Doodpathri Development Authority (DDA) for being selective. This selective demolition drive is seen as a challenge to the wisdom of the honorable court, the orders of which have been ignored by the Authority.
In a unique situation, the drive against illegal vendors in the meadows of Doodpathri actually turned a drive against those who have legal permission from the DDA and also court order for carrying out their business at the destination.
The story twists its tale after listening to the claims and contentions made by one of the contractors Waqas Tanveer, who turned the worst victim of this drive. Tanveer narrated his woeful tale to The INS News.
Documents in possession of the INS reveal that he is in legal contract with DDA since 2014 and is running a business of food courts, Tea/ Coffee shops and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) Project at Doodpathri. The DDA demolition drive has ‘convinced’ him that the drive was not to demolish the illegal encroachments but an attempt to evacuate him from Doodpathri.
According to Tanveer the contract between DDA and him started in 2013 but work started only after August 2014 because of the deficiencies from the DDA side. After taking five contracts from DDA in the year 2013 which includes food court at Parihaas, food court at Doodhpathri, Tea/coffee shops at Dobhiwan and TRC (Later shifted to Doodhpathri Hutment area because forest department didn’t permit to install it there) and All terrain vehicles project (Route assigned from Doodhpathri to Shaliganga river and Doodhpathri to Sochalpatri).
He says: ”The first shock came to me when I moved to Doodhpathri in year 2014,there were no tea/coffee shops at the location as promised and also no repairs was done to Parihaas and Doodhpathri food courts making them non operable. Also heavy traffic was plying on Doodhpathri-shalinganga river which brought his ATV’s to a standstill.
Notably, after he was given the contracts he purchased many machines, furniture, utensils, equipments , ATV’s, ATV safety gear bearing cost in lacs of rupees. ATVs and gears cost him around Rs.16 lac. These ATVs are lying at his home getting rusted as DDA has not been able to barricade the route meant for ATV’s and horses.”
He further says that in order to benefit certain persons route was kept open deliberately which ruined not only his business but also flora & fauna and meadows of Doodhpathri as cars and other vehicles continuously tread into meadows. Also parking meant for cars and other vehicles has been given to a contractor for running amusement park without issuing any legal tender which forces people to park vehicles on roads or move to meadows for parking.
Waqas alleges that Even though the ATV services were inaugurated in June 2014 but the active traffic movement on the allotted routes has made the ATV operations not possible.
“I bought this in the notice of DDA and I was asked to ply the ATV’s on Sochalpathri- Mujpathri route for the time being till repairs and metalling of Doodpathri- Shaliganga route would be over, but the Sochalpathri- Mujpathri route allotted to me had zero percent footfall of tourists apart from some construction taking place on that route for laying of water pipelines. Besides heavy trucks carrying wood logs were plying on that road making the operations of ATV services impossible.”
He says, “After the completion of Doodpathri- Shaliganga route repairs, instead of barricading it and letting me run my ATVs a fresh tender was invited for running of battery operated cars on that route which later had no response but I had to invest my time and money for stopping that tender through court.”
First year was a disaster to him as he had purchased perishables in huge quantities which would have sufficed the entire season’s requirement of food courts and tea/coffee shops however because of the late starting of operations followed by flood of 2014 we had to destroy all of it. “My sufferings continued in some form or the other,” he said.
Tanveer has alleged that the locals were allowed to open the food stalls in front of his food courts to run their business. He questions: “If I was bound to have a contract for opening a food court why not the other locals who are still running their food courts without having any contract/license and that too in front of my food courts have been allowed to operate their business?”
Tanveer claims that DDA floated new tenders for food courts/tea coffee shops before the contract period was about to expire which forced him to take the matter into the court which took cognizance of the issue and issued a status quo.
According to Tanveer the case is still pending in the court and status quo continues. However, Assitant Executive Engineer (Mr Zahoor Ahmad) is using muscle to close them again which DDA had Illegally closed in 2016 and could be opened up only in June 2018, after intervention of Tourism minister Jammu and Kashmir & Secretary to Govt Tourism Department.
Despite having status quo issued by the Honorable court, Assistant Executive Engineer Doodpathri, Zahoor Ahmad has time and again tried to stop operations of food courts/tea coffee shops by threatening his employees of burning the Food courts and tea/coffee shops and throwing of goods/eatables etc.
Waqas alleges that Mr Zahoor accompanied by some people vandalized whatever came there way under the cover of demolition drive.
Waqas said, “I have commenced these projects after taking huge loans and wanted to make a difference by employing locals and training them on soft skills and hard skills and promote Doodpathri as an adventure tourism destination by introducing activities like ATV rides ,Zorbing , Zip line but because of the Draconian policies of DDA I am so disappointed about the future of tourism in Doodhpathri.”
Adding further he said that “Since I have purchased these ATVs DDA is yet to provide me a route to ply these ATV’s. The irony is that DDA officials keep saying me they will waive off the amount which I am supposed to pay in their favor, I.e. Rs.23000. But what about Rs 16 lakh rupees I invested in buying these ATV’s and the loans I acquired from bank to get these ATV’s and other equipments”.
When contacted Khurshid Ahmad Sanie, Additional District Development Commissioner Budgam who has been also given charge of Chief Executive Officer, DDA, said: No vandalizing is done with legal contractors, but the stallers who went to illegal encroachments in the meadows of Doodpathri were only vandalized.”
Besides Sanie said,” If he (Tanveer) is legal no one can evacuate him from there. For rest we will look into the matter, and try our support to the best level.”
When asked that a status quo from court is in place, Sanie said in illegal situation status quo won’t work. “If the bases are illegal then the status quo is of no use,” Sanie added.
Does that mean the court order in this case lacks validity? Isn’t the statement of the CEO challenging the wisdom of honorable court?
