Amid the raging controversy, the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has served a notice on senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Dr. Nirmal Singh asking him to demolish his illegally constructed palatial house on the outskirts of the city within five days. The house has been constructed at village Ban in Nagrota area.
As per order vide no JDA/BOCA/A/1271-76 dated 8-11-2021, JDA issued an order of demolition in terms of section 7(3) of control of Building operation Act, 1988 to Dr. Nirmal Singh and his wife Mamta Singh.
"If you fail to remove the illegal construction with the stipulated period the same shall be demolished by the enforcement wing of JDA and the cost of removal shall be recovered from you as arrears of land revenue," the notice further reads.
Singh and his family had moved into the palatial house near the Army's ammunition sub-depot on July 23 last year, even though the High Court had in May 2018 directed the authorities to ensure "strict implementation" of a 2015 notification barring the general public from carrying out any construction within 1,000 yards of defence works.
Writ petitions already filed in Court against Singh's house
Two writ petitions have already been filed in the High Court against the construction of Dr. Nirmal Singh's house.
The petition stated that the under-construction house was only 580 yards from the perimeter boundary wall of the ASD in Nagrota. The petition was filed after civil and police officials did not stop construction activity from being carried out by Mamta Singh, wife of Nirmal Singh, then-Speaker of J&K Assembly, despite written requests from top Army officials at Nagrota-based 16 Corps Headquarters.
I will consult my lawyers: Nirmal Singh
As per a news agency, Dr. Nirmal Singh has confirmed that he has received a notice from the JDA. "The matter is sub-judice and I will be consulting my lawyers for future course of action", the news agency reported while quoting BJP stalwart.
In its order of demolition, the JDA said the building was constructed without attaining valid permission from the competent authority. Earlier Dr. Singh claimed that it was a political conspiracy against him.
