Jammu, Sep 30: Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jammu (JCCI) president Arun Gupta on Wednesday accused the government of harassing businessmen by issuing them notices during festival season.
“For the past three days, the shopkeepers have been approaching the Chamber after they have been served notices by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and other concerned authorities. Notices are being issued at some places where the mixed land usage law exists which permits commercial activities along with residential premises,” Gupta stated, while addressing a press conference here.
“The most unfortunate thing is that notices are being issued during the festival season. It is an unwarranted move by the concerned authorities to serve notices during the festival season. One notice was served to the traders of Fruit Mandi referring to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). If ACB had to seek any information, it should have approached the horticulture department as this Mandi was developed by JDA on its land, which was leased out,” he argued.
Arun Gupta pointed out that the authorities were seeking CLU from the traders (shopkeepers). “Seemingly before serving notices, none has thought about the requirements. During the past 48 years or so, these fruit and vegetable Mandis (markets) have been developed to decongest the city. Traders were provided with land only at a premium amount and not free of cost. But currently those shopkeepers are being served with notices, which, I believe, are illegal,” he said.
The JCCI president stated that he failed to understand the logic behind the demand for CLU vis-à-vis the leased property or land, properly approved by the government.
“This (CLU order) should be immediately withdrawn. If there is a requirement for something, the matter can be resolved by sitting across the table with the affected shopkeepers. In several other areas, notices have been issued by the JMC, citing the Supreme Court order. The Supreme Court has only sought a list of all approved residential areas where commercial activities are taking place,” Gupta said, adding that through the notices, the concerned parties were asked to produce documents within 72 hours.
“Many of those commercial establishments have been running operations for the past 40 to 30 years or so, when the Corporation was not in existence. JMC came into existence in 2005 and before that it was a municipality, which had its jurisdiction within 5 kilometers or so. Shopkeepers would have been given approval by tehsildar or other concerned authorities,” JCCI president maintained.
“It seems that the government is trying to regularise the unauthorised colonies. If the Master Plan is not getting approved, it is not our fault but that of the government. There are talks for change in land use. But the way the notices are being served, I don’t think – this is in adherence to SC directive,” he alleged.
JCCI president asserted, “If those shopkeepers, who have been served notices, have been operating their shops in those areas, it means that the government and its different departments have been involved. “If the GST is being collected by the government department from those shopkeepers, it means that they have been allowed by it (department). The department has provided them with a GST number after the construction of the shop. If they are paying power fees under the category of commercial establishments, it means the Power Development Department has authorized commercial activity by giving them connections.”
Arun Gupta said that an amicable solution should be found out but said that the shopkeepers should not be panicked as the Chamber was standing with them.
“On the one hand, the government is approving homestay policy allowing commercial activities in residences. Here over 200 shopkeepers have already been issued notices. This is paradoxical,” he stated.
