In the latest incident of responsible politicians breaking norms and rules while constructing residential accommodation in areas designated as security risks, is the present speaker of the state assembly and earlier deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Nirmal Singh.
His house, presently under construction, is on a plot 530 metres from the security wall of the Nagrota ammunition dump. The land was purchased in 2014. Nirmal claims that he and the present deputy CM, Kavinder Gupta, purchased the land through a company they had established in 2000.
This construction prompted the Corps Commander to directly write to the Speaker, Nirmal Singh, on the issue because the local administration was not responding to the Army’s repeated requests to stop construction work, considering his appointment.
The Corps Commander wrote that the house is “illegal” and “has implications on the security of a major ammunition storage facility as well as safety of all personnel living in close vicinity of the ammunition depot”.