Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 6: In a first ever major operation in Rajouri town, the District Administration assisted by strong contingent of police and para-military force, involving staff from Revenue, Municipal Committee, R&B and RDD today removed massive encroachments on State land, demolished over two dozen structures and retrieved about 274 kanals of Government land.
A team of officers led by Deputy Commissioner, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary along with SSP Yougal Manhas, ACD Noor Alam, ACR Qayoom Mir, SDMs Kartar Singh, Abdul Sattar, SDPOs Dr Imtiaz, Jaswant Singh, Iftikhar Choudhary, Executive Engineer R&B SA Wani, Executive Officer Municipal Committee, Tehsildars and other officers assisted by a 500 strong contingent of police force, workforce of 120 men and more than 20 JCB Machines launched massive operation at round 10 am today, which was carried on for the entire day.
Initially, some people tried to resist the operation but seeing massive police force and officers, they could not dare to resort to violence or stone pelting.
An official spokesman said that the Administration in a well planned strategy, deployed teams headed by various officers at various locations simultaneously and retrieved the prime land at 5 different sites. A stretch of 87 Kanal prime land under illegal constructions was retrieved during the first phase of operation.
Another patch of land measuring 163 kanal was retrieved and fenced by the team assisted by police force in a swift action. Land measuring 12 kanal belonging to Custodian Department and occupied by some locals near District Hospital was also retrieved. Another prime land located between Abdullah Bridge and new alternate bridge measuring 12 kanal has also been fenced. The value of entire land fenced is around Rs 70-75 crore as per the notified stamp duty rates, the spokesman said.
The huge fleet of machinery deployed along with the team of officers and police force demolished more than 30 structures which included 14 shops, 11 concrete residential houses, 2 workshops, one service station and three sheds apart from a vast network of concrete plinths and foundations. No injury or violence or any type of clash was reported during the drive.
The spokesman further said that in view of cold weather the District Administration has also provided temporary accommodation for one week to the evicted families and necessary arrangements were put in place.
Deputy Commissioner Dr Shahid said that an enquiry is being conducted into the role of some locals in sale and purchase of State land in connivance with the officials of Revenue department and MCR in wrongful vesting of titles or allowing illegal constructions.
Dr Shahid further said that the eviction and demolition drive will continue for some more time and similar patches of land will be retrieved shortly. He also claimed that projects for construction of parking lot of 1000 vehicles and a recreation park have been approved to be constructed on retrieved land. Administration is also starting construction of circular road from new bridge to District Court complex via Anandpur Ashram utilising the land cleared from the clutches of land grabbers. The role of ‘some influential people’ of the town has also come under scanner in managing illegal land allotment and then selling land to the people making huge money.
Meanwhile, some locals told the Excelsior that the structures of some influential politicians have been left out and remained untouched. Most of the people who fell victim today are from outside Rajouri town. They had purchased these land from some locals by spending huge money. They demanded that Patwaris, Girdawars and Naib Tehsildars concerned who prepared illegal/ forged papers should also be booked and action under law taken against them. Locals of Rajouri town have widely laud the initiative of district administration.
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