Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 1: In its ongoing anti-encroachment drive, Jammu and Kashmir administration today retrieved around 3309 Kanal State/Kahcharai land in 7 districts from illegal encroachers including an ex-minister’s father and a senior retired Forest officer.
District Administration Samba today conducted a massive anti-encroachment drive to vacate prime state land at Ghagore, Vijaypur. Around 14 Kanal and 10 Marlas of prime state land under the occupation of Balwant Singh, father of ex-minister Manjeet Singh, was retrieved. The outer wall of the premises which had been constructed on land was demolished and sign board indicating the status of land as Government land was installed on the site.
In Jammu, the district administration today retrieved 212 Kanal prime state land from illegal encroachers during eviction drive. A team of revenue officers along with police retrieved 5 Kanal land worth crores of rupees in the prime location at Top Sherkhania. Similarly, 5 Kanal prime state land, encroached by an ex-Conservator of Forest, a banquet hall owner and a timber businessman was also evacuated by the officials of the Revenue.
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In another eviction drive, 141 Kanal and 9 Marla State land was vacated in village Mandal. Likewise, prime State land measuring 67 Kanal and 13 Marla was retrieved at village Rajpura (tehsil Marh) by the team of Revenue officials.
During the day-long eviction drive, the Kathua district administration reclaimed a total of 1073 Kanal and 16 Marlas of state land. The drive also exposed some government officials involved in encouraging encroachment. The State land retrieved includes 635 Kanal and 13 Marlas in Hiranagar, 136 Kanal and 7 Marlas in Marheen, 110 Kanal in Dinga Amb, 60 Kanal in Basohli, 29 Kanal and 29 Marlas in Lohai Malhar, 7 Kanal and 7 Marlas in Mahanpur and 5 Kanal in Nagri Parole.
The retrieval also includes 39 Kanal and 16 Marlas prime land worth Rs 37 crore 16 lakh in Kathua tehsil, 26 Kanal and 14 Marlas in Jagatpur, 4 Kanal and 9 Marlas in Changran, 4 Kanal in Chak Munsifdar, 4 Kanal in Muthi Rakwalan, 14 Marlas in Chak Sehzada and 10 Marlas of land in Logate. The high value chunk of 49 Kanal and 14 Marals State land worth Rs 1.28 crore was also retrieved in Ramkot during the day-long eviction drive.
In district administration Ramban, more than 1137 Kanal State land across eight tehsils of the district was retrieved. In a joint anti encroachment drive, a Revenue and Police team retrieved 301 Kanal State land in tehsil Ramban besides demolishing illegal structures in Phalti and Chanderkote areas. Similarly, 450 Kanal State land was vacated during a joint anti encroachment drive in tehsil Rajgarh.
The teams also demolished illegal structures build on State land besides retrieving over 1137 Kanal State land worth crores from the encroachers including 120 Kanal in Pogal-Paristan, 52 Kanal in Banihal, 100 Kanal in Khari, 59 Kanal in Ramsoo, 25 Kanal in Batote and 30 Kanal in Gool.
Rajouri district Administration retrieved 511 kanal State land worth crores of rupees during the anti-encroachment drives. During the drives, 1 kanal of prime State land was retrieved from illegal occupants on the National Highway 144A, besides demolishing illegal structures raised on the State land in tehsil Sunderbani. The drive was carried by Tehsildar Sunderbani Kapil Kant Khajuria.
Similarly, 10 Kanal State land was retrieved by the team of Tehsil Sunderbani at Village Devak, while 310 Kanal of State land was retrieved in Tehsil Teryath. Sign boards indicating the evicted land as state/government land were installed at these locations. Tehsildar Rajouri and his team carried out a major anti-encroachment drive at villages Keri and Dharasanwala and retrieved 192 Kanal State land from illegal possession.
District Administration Ganderbal today retrieved 495 Kanals of State/Kahcharai land in various tehsils of the district. About 298 Kanals of Government land was retrieved at block Ganderbal by an anti-encroachment squad headed by Tehsildar Ganderbal and 53 Kanals were retrieved by Tehsildar Tullamula. Besides, 65 Kanals of Kahcharai land was retrieved in Tehsil Lar.
Similarly, Anti-encroachment squads in Sub-division Kangan retrieved 74 Kanals of Government land which include 24 Kanals of State land in block Kangan and 50 Kanals in Block Gund. The District Administration has so far retrieved 17627 Kanals of Government land which include 11672 kanals of State land and 5955 Kanals of Kahcharai land during anti-encroachment drives.
In Anantnag district, massive anti-encroachment operations were conductedtoday against various stone crushers operating from State/Kahcharai lands. Encroachment by 5 stone crusher units in Nipora was removed by Tehsildar Anantnag and a total of 50 Kanals of land was retrieved which lies at a short distance from NH44 and is valued in excess of Rs 20 crores. Teams from the District Mineral Office were also present and the operation of crushers has been seized.
The officials said that the crushers have been given a week’s time to remove the machinery from the spot failing which the machinery will also be seized. Demolition drives were also conducted at Panzath, Qazigund where another stone crusher was operating on State land. A total of 14 Kanals of land was retrieved by the revenue team from Tehsil Qazigund. It is in place to mention that in widespread anti encroachment drives held in the district, more than 2700 kanals of State/Kahcharie lands were retrieved in a single day.
In District Poonch, the revenue authorities retrieved 8 kanal 5 marla State land including 3 Kanal commercial land valued approximately Rs 4.5 crores at main Bus Stand Mendhar.
During the anti-encroachment drive 8 permanent structures were also demolished by the authorities which were constructed on the same land.