Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Sept 12: As the process has been set into motion for demarcation of land under Jammu Develo-pment Authority, the demarcated portions will be formally handed over by the Revenue authorities to JDA in a phased manner from this month.
According to the official sources, decision in this regard was conveyed during a high level meeting here today, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh-who heads the Department of Housing and Urban Development Department, for issuing broader instructions to speed up work on demarcation and handing over of the land to JDA.
After proper mapping and clearance by all the concerned departments, the demarcated portions of land will be formally handed over to JDA through a proper Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) so that there may be no controversy in future over title of the land, sources said and added that in the first phase, a set of villages, where the demarcation process is nearing completion, will be handed over to JDA by September 30.
Even as no deadline could be set for completion of the process for demarcation of the land and handing over of the same to JDA, the meet decided to have monthly review of progress in this regard, sources added.
Pertinent to mention that Jammu Development Authority was constituted in 1970 and all the vacant State land falling within its territorial limits stood transferred to it. However, till date, land measuring 17884k-17m only has been demarcated and handed over to the JDA as against the land measuring 75883 kanals (64496 kanals in Jammu district and 11337 kanals in Samba district).
As the Deputy CM asked the concerned authorities to work in tandem so as to break the nexus between land mafia and Revenue officials, a decision was also taken in the meeting for providing police contingent to JDA on permanent basis for assisting to carry out the anti-encroachment drives. The contingent of Police, including lady cops, will be on the analogy of LAWDA (Lakes and Waterways Development Authority in Srinagar), which has its own Police Station with special powers for dealing with the issue of land grabbing and land encroachment.
The Commissioner / Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Hirdesh Kumar Singh, who was also present in the meeting, was asked to put forward a proposal in this regard with the Home Department and pursue the matter, sources added.
During the high-level meeting, which was attended by DC Jammu, Simarndeep Singh, DC Samba Sheetal Nanda, Chief Conservator Forest Jammu, Vice Chairman JDA, Mubarak Singh, Commissioner JMC Manmohan Singh, MD JK Housing Board, DIG Ashkoor Wani, SSP Jammu and SSP Samba, the Deputy CM issued directions for immediate anti encroachment drives for retrieval of encroached land at village Sidhra, Majeen and Rangoora, which has been occupied illegally by private players for their vested interests. He also directed for swift resolving of all those cases where land encroachment has become a major bottleneck due to long drawn issue of land transfer from Revenue to JDA.
Reviewing the case of land encroachment at Gole Gujral, Roop Nagar Extension and Sidhra, Dr Nirmal Singh directed for formulation of a strategy to ensure rapid disposal of cases. He also directed for constituting appraisal committee which will prepare a comprehensive report regarding vacant and encroached JDA land. He also directed the officers to speed up the process of land acquisition at Gole Gujral, Kot Bhalwal, Roop Nagar Extension and Birpur for establishment of upcoming colonies at these sites.
The DyCM directed DC Jammu to hand over 1000 kanals at village Deeli and 226 kanals at Kot Bhalwal to JDA while ensuring stringent action against land grabbers and local miscreants.
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