A complete shutdown was today observed in Katra district to protest against the alleged violation of greenbelt norms by deputy chief minister Tara Chand.
The Katra Development Centric Committee (KDCC) alleged that Chand is planning to build a bus stand in a green belt area thus violating the norms.
All shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the road in the town on the call given by the KDCC, officials said.
KDCC-led by its President Sher Singh took out a procession in Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine, and raised slogans agianst government and DCM.
The one-day strike has been called to protest the violation of the master plan and identified green orchard land for construction of a bus stand in Katra to given benefit to land grabbers, KDCC leader and local MLA Baldev Raj Sharma alleged.
KDCC also urged chief minister Omar Abdullah to order a probe into the alleged nexus between the housing minister and land grabbers.
"Omar should personally look into it and review and redraft the master plan in proper manner. He is chairman of Katra Development Authority (KDA), but in absence of him, vice chairman and deputy chief minister Tara chand approved such a
plan, which should be immediately cancelled," Sharma, who is also a member of KDA, said.
"We urge the Supreme Court of India to send a team to look into the violation. The step is violative of the apex court's directive on green belt as the area is an orchard," he said.
