By Jehangir Ali
Srinagar: Two Delhi-based private companies, allegedly in collusion with the Jammu and Kashmir administration, forcibly occupied a piece of land in the Kishtwar district of Jammu to facilitate an ongoing Hindu pilgrimage, prompting a court to intervene in the matter.
In response to a petition, the court ordered the administration, which is run directly by the Union government, to vacate the land – which was being used to operate a helipad by two private aviation players for ferrying pilgrims to the temple of Mata Chandi, popularly known as Mata Machail, in Kishtwar.
The court of the civil subordinate judge in Kishtwar on Tuesday, July 25, ordered that the “vital rights” of the petitioner, the owner of the land, have been compromised by the J&K administration which, the court observed, is “bent upon” occupying the proprietary land.
The petition was filed by Prithvi Raj, a resident of Machail Padder village after the two Delhi-based companies – Himalayan Heli Services Pvt Ltd and Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd – occupied his land earlier this year, despite his objection.
According to the petitioner, his land measuring six kanal and two marlas at Mouza locality of Machail Paddar was forcibly taken over and the two companies started levelling the ground for constructing the helipad, allegedly with the help of the administration…
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here