300 unauthorised people evicted from govt flats in Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 26: As many as 300 people staying illegally in government flats were evicted and the accommodations allotted to employees of Civil Secretariat during the last two years in Kashmir, where Rs 3 crore has been collected as rent by Estates department, officials said here. “While doing so, majority of the quarters were allotted to the employees in consultation with the Civil Secretariat Employees’ unions, including the Assembly Secretariat,” they said.

They said during the past six months, 62 changes of allotments were made out of which eight changes were made on mutual basis, while the rest were made on the recommendations of Non-Gazetted Employees Union, Lower Grade Employees Union, Assembly Secretariat and Drivers Association except for eight changes which have been done on individual request basis of the tenants.

“These changes have been made strictly as per norms and in the interest of the employees,” they said. They said 352 additional flats at Pampore and 244 flats at Tulsi Bagh, Srinagar are being constructed for the employees. “All the allotments (fresh /change) have been made as per norms and entitlement after due consultation with employees unions and also with the approval of the competent authority. Even records were placed before Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary.” During 2016-2017, around 369 gysers, 377 ceiling fans and 269 exhaust fans besides furniture/furnishing items worth Rs 2.50 crore were issued in favor of employees residing in different colonies both at Srinagar and Jammu. As per the sources, Rs 3 crore has been collection as rent much above the target from accommodation of Estates department.

They said the Director Estates has fixed a deadline for collection of pending rent from the defaulters particularly chronic defaulters against whom there are huge rental outstanding. “Special rent collection camps will be organised in residential colonies and VIP areas in order to ensure that rental outstanding is collected in a time-bound manner,” they added.