Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 21: Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC) strongly condemned the Revenue Department of UT of J&K for blatant violation of Agrarian Reform Act/Law for obvious reasons, particularly in respect of DPs of 1947 from PoK settled on lands in rural areas of Jammu province.
In a meeting of the JKSAC held here today the participtants urged upon Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha to put reign on Revenue Deptt and demanded to constitute a high level committee of Revenue experts to probe the violation committed by the Revenue authority from the last several decades to restore the shattered faith of masses in good governance as claimed.
Addressing the meeting Gurdev Singh, president JKSAC said that, incredible it may sound but it is the known truth that Revenue Department is running their own Govt in the UT of J&K. Tehsildar /Patwaris are violating the Agrarian laws in broad day light under the organized patronage of their senior authorities for minting money. The status of lands are changed as per the convenience of encroacher and land mafias. For sale and purchase of lands thousand/lakhs of rupees are charged as bribe from the people for issuing fards, which is illegal and a high level organized corruption.
Pertinent to mention here that approximately 23,000 DP families were allotted Evacuee / State lands for their sustenance under a prescribed scale while Govt order No. 578-C of 1954 and 254-C of 1965. Majority of the DPs families were unable to cultivate their lands for the reasons viz-a-viz firstly as per the Govt records over 8000 families were allotted land much below their prescribed scales which was insufficient to fulfill the entire needs of their livelihood. Secondly, because of then faulty Agrarian laws and due to the negligence of the Govt, DPs were not handed over possessions. Thirdly, the lands were allotted at considerable distance from their places of dwellings, which made DP helpless to manage cultivation.
He further said that to secure and protect the rights of DPs, JKSAC launched a struggle in 70’s and compelled the Govt to amend the Agrarian laws in respect of DPs. Amendments were made and occupancy tenancy rights were given to DPs under Section-3A of Agrarian reforms Act 1976 with the amendment 1978 and similarly, absolute proprietary rights were given to DPs over meager state lands while 254-C 1965.
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