Reports of land mafia network in the State have been pouring in since a long time. In these columns we have also cautioned the Government of growing pernicious influence of land grabbers. It causes imbalance in social construct and allows violation of law to pass as legitimized crime. What is more worrisome is that some top influential Government functionaries, political heavyweights and land grabbers, adepts in the skill, are lending overt and covert support to illegal occupation of state land without fear of being brought to book. In a scenario in which the price of land has skyrocketed to several folds owing to developmental activities gaining pace, land grabbers are making a fast buck and are unbalancing economic equilibrium.
In a written reply to a question about the quantum and other details of state lands illegally occupied by land grabbers, the Minister for Revenue made startling revelations in the Legislative Assembly which make one think whether we are living in a lawless state where the principle of might is right reigns supreme. According to his statement a total of 20,46,436 kanal of State land is under the occupation of various individuals in 20 districts of the State while as no such encroachment has taken place in Leh and Kargil districts. Rajouri district is on the top of list of such districts with 3, 96,018 kanal of State land under the illegal occupation of various individuals. Rajouri is followed by Doda and Ramban districts where 1,77,551 kanal and 1,67,521 kanal of State land is under the illegal occupation.
In Jammu district, 1,60,358 kanal of State land has been encroached by the land mafia and various individuals while as in Udhampur and Reasi districts the figures stand at 1,52,416 and 1,41,525 kanal respectively.
These are enormous figures. It sounds incredible that the Revenue Department and other Government authorities have been negligent and lax to the extent that almost general loot of its landed property has been perpetrated by people with criminal intentions and over a period of time. Most of the vandalized lands belong to the forest department and kahcharai under revenue records. The kahcharai are precisely the grazing grounds which the state revenue department intentionally left for facilitating the villagers to tend their cattle. Now that population has increased and economic activities have received a boost, these grass lands have been illegally occupied and converted either into farm houses or for other eco-agrarian activities by the individuals concerned. Land grabbing activity has been running in about twenty districts of the state and not only in and around the two capital cities and their peripheries. Only recently we had an experience of land grabbers coming in thousands to grab nearly three thousand kanals of land formed by receding Tawi near Sidhra. If the government had not moved in fast, the grabbers would have set up a new settlement there which would make things difficult for the Revenue Department.
We would prompt the Revenue Department to take up the matter of vacating illegal possession of Government lands wherever these are and whosoever the grabbers are irrespective of their political status and ties, past or present, and make them vacate the occupation failing which the law of the land should take its natural course. We are aware that very influential and powerful people including serving or retired officials are involved in the scam. This is a multi-layer scam and has to be dealt with a strong hand if the Government is really sincere in getting it vacated. In the first instance the matter should be referred to the State Vigilance Organization to initiate enquiry into the land scam. However we also know that so far the land mafia, using money and muscle power, has stonewalled any action against the criminals and, in all probability, they will continue to use same devices and ensure that the matter is pushed under carpet. Many of our new developmental projects are being stalled owing to lack of land or inability of the Government to pay the high rates of cost of land. We cannot put a sudden break on our developmental activities for want of space while the land grabbing criminals enjoy the benefits of their loot of Government property. This must come to an end.
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