No land allotted for ex-servicemen colony in Kashmir Valley: Government

Srinagar, May 7 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday denied reports in a section of media that any land had been allotted or was being allotted in the Kashmir Valley for setting up 'Sainik Colony' or an ex-servicemen colony.

"Like some other sections of the working class and professionals, the ex-servicemen belonging to the state have been demanding land for a housing colony, but no allotment of land for any such project has been made anywhere in the Valley," said Education Minister and state government spokesman in response to the reports appearing in a section of the press in this regard.

Terming such reports "highly-motivated" and "parochial", he claimed that they are aimed at disturbing peace in the state at a time when tourism and business activity has just started picking up.

"Unfortunately, with the onset of tourism and business season in Kashmir, there has been a perpetual effort by certain vested interests to disturb peace in the state," he said, adding that any attempt at creating doubts on a non-existent issue are against the interests of the state's people.

Urging stakeholders including the civil society representatives to be cautious of the designs of such elements who want to vitiate the atmosphere in the state at a time when the local economy has just started recovering after suffering immensely in the devastating floods of September 2014, Akhtar said such unsettling efforts seem to be completely out of place at a time when consensus is building across the political divide in the country over safeguarding, protecting and upholding the special status guaranteed to Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian Constitution.

"We once again reiterate the state government's commitment in this regard which has been clearly restated in the PDP-BJP 'Agenda of Alliance' as well," he said.