Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 5: The land mafia is enjoying upper hand over the civil and police administration besides Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in the Gole Gujral area as despite being sounded about the encroachments in Khasra No.746-min about four years back and registration of numerous FIRs, the encroachers have not been evicted till date and they are bent upon to carry on their illegal activities.
As per the official record, in Khasra No.746-min of Gole, Jammu, out of total land measuring 2235 kanal, 784 kanal and 17 marla was transferred to Jammu Development Authority vide SRO No. 263 dated August 9, 2004 and its entries were recorded in the revenue record of JDA. However, no demarcation of land as well as possession was given as a result of which the land always remained under dispute between different stake holders.
After about five years, the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu vide order No.101/Misc/Adm/2009/2499-2513 dated November 26, 2009 got the demarcation of land bearing Khasra No. 746 min conducted through a committee of officers headed by the then Additional Commissioner Jammu in order to settle long pending dispute regarding identification of land allotted to the JDA and that held by the Revenue Training Institute.
During the demarcation of Khasra No 746, it was found that various patches of land were under the possession of different institutions, persons, organizations and Government Departments. On the spot, it was found that a patch of land in Khasra Number from north to south along the wall of SOS was a matter of dispute between JDA and RTI. Accordingly, both the agencies were directed to put forth their claims regarding the possession of land in dispute.
On perusal of record, it came to fore that land measuring 144 kanal and 5 marla was recorded in Khasra Girdawari from 1994 till date under the occupation of RTI Jammu though the land was not fenced by the RTI. Similarly, it came to light that land measuring 333 kanal and 13 marla was handed over to Jammu Development Authority on December 22, 1994 by the Revenue Department. However, the Tatima Shajra submitted by the JDA vis-à-vis the one prepared by the committee for whole Khasra Number was not compatible with the demarcation conducted on spot.
While recommending that JDA and RTI may be allotted land on the western side of the Bund where sufficient land exists on spot but some nomadic shelters were erected besides some other encroachments, the then Additional Commissioner vide report dated February 6, 2010 stressed that the Revenue Department be directed to take immediate steps for eviction of unauthorized occupants from the land and hand over the same to RTI as well as JDA. He also recommended that both these agencies should be directed to raise departmental fence as the land falling under the Khasra No. 746 was being encroached from all the corners and sides.
“This clearly indicates that encroachment in Khasra No 746 came to the notice of administration four years back but till date the administration has failed to tighten noose around the encroachers”, sources regretted, adding “even many FIRs were registered against the illegal encroachers during this period but the outcome of the same remains a mystery as a result of which the encroachers are bent upon to carry on their illegal activities and presently trying to convert Kacha structures into pacca one forcefully”.
The Vice-Chairman of the Jammu Development Authority, who has made a written request to the District Magistrate Jammu for imposing of Section 144 CrPC in Khasra No.746 at Gole that too after EXCELSIOR carried reports, has also touched this aspect and clearly mentioned that encroachment was going on without any fear, sources said.
They, however, didn’t feel the imposition of Section 144 CrPC as a viable option as this would ensure status-quo on the already made encroachments. “The administration should first remove the encroachment and then impose Section 144”, sources stressed.
“The ground situation in Khasra No.746 during the past several years clearly indicates that land mafia operating in the area is having upper hand over the administration”, they said while disclosing that recently Principal Revenue Training Institute got an FIR lodged against the encroachers for trespassing into the Government land and making encroachments but only one kullah was destroyed and not even one encroacher was arrested till date thereby substantiating that administration has virtually surrendered before the land mafia.
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