By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday criticized politicians for scuttling anti-encroachment drives along rivers and streams in the wake of recent flash floods and cloudbursts in Jammu, Himachal and Uttarakhand and lamented that it has virtually become a norm to encroach upon the vacant space.
“Ironically, opposing this (an anti-encroachment drive) is one common interest which instantly makes them forget all political or ideological differences,” Dr Singh said in an interview with a news agency.
Dr Singh expressed disappointment on lack of cooperation across the society and the polity even on issues of common concern. Gujjar Nagar and some other areas in Jammu this week suffered the wrath of the nature’s fury when heavy rains triggered flashfloods in Tawi river. A large number of people living in low-lying areas along various rivers and streams in Jammu, Himachal and Uttarakhand were evacuated to safer areas as the disasters left a big trail of death and destruction.
He said, it has been his experience that whenever in the past, an attempt was made for course correction with the noble objective of preventing any future catastrophes, the issue was immediately converted into a political campaign and unfortunately along with the political parties, several of the social organizations, including the trade organisations vehemently came forward to stop the move.
“So much so, that there is pressure sought to be built from all quarters to get the concerned Deputy Commissioner or District Mining Officer, who dares initiate a drive, to be transferred out as if he has committed a grave sin,” lamented Dr Jitendra Singh.
The Minister said, anyone can go through the past records and see for himself that on each occasion, the moment an anti-encroachment drive launched, it immediately boiled into a big controversy and unfortunately, even the apparently well-meaning social organizations and trade bodies tactically joined hands to thwart the move.
Dr. Singh said, there are certain common concerns which have the potential to equally affect every household and every family and it is very illusionary to think that inappropriate activity to make quick money will be only at the cost of others and not their own kith and kin, because the same bridges and same roads are used also by the family members and children of the ones who cause harm to these structures in one way or the other.
Over the years, the Minister lamented, in most of the cities and towns, like Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur, it has virtually become a norm to encroach upon the vacant space, wherever available. The result is, if it was a drainage channel, then there would be a tendency to cover it by extending the fore-wall of the house or the boundary wall of the commercial establishment, and if it was a big Nullah or Khadd, the tendency would be to raise a Mall or a Business Complex. The time has come, he said, to look within ourselves and introspect about our own conduct and take a solemn vow that “I would not indulge in this”, because charity is meaningful only when it begins from home.
Referring to the government’s initiatives in this regard, Dr Singh said, besides the anti-encroachment drives and the move against the illegal mining, the Government of India has also launched a national mission for Himalayan Ecological Sustainability and the Survey of India has placed important inputs on websites, but all of this would be meaningful only if each one of us is conscious of the integrity to follow the norms and principles. No law on earth or no Police enforcement can compensate for the lack of integrity on the part of a citizen, he added.
After the present catastrophe is over, Dr. Singh said, it would be a good idea for all the sections of society as well as the civil society representatives to sit together and work out a viable plan to ensure that at least the next generation of our children should not be made to endure what we have gone through in the last few weeks.