Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 25: The State Vigilance Commission while taking strong note of encroachments made over State land at Bantalab Jammu by some persons allegedly in connivance with officials of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and Revenue Department has directed Vice Chairman JDA to initiate immediate action against encroachers.
The SVC by taking cognizance over a complaint lodged by the inhabitants of village Keran, Bantalab through their Sarpanch in connection with encroachments made and illegal constructions raised over State land, bearing Khasra No. 312 min. at village Keran, Bantalab, District Jammu, by some land grabbers and brokers in connivance as well as by hatching conspiracies with officials of JDA and Revenue Department, further owing to corrupt practices exercised by the Revenue authorities, the State Land has been entered in the names of land grabbers in Khasra Girdawari (Revenue records) in contravention of law, amounting to misuse of official powers and criminal breach of trust on the part of concerned public servants, sought reports from JDA and Revenue Department in the light of the allegations.
The report submitted by JDA showed that the responsible officers/officials of JDA instead of accepting their inability to save the State land from the hands of encroachers, had shifted the onus on the shoulders of the Revenue Department, whereas the report submitted by the Revenue Department prima-facie discloses that from the State land bearing Khasra No. 312 min. situated at village Keran, Bantalab, about hundred kanals of land had been transferred earlier to different Government Departments viz. 46 Kanals to the Public Works Department (PWD/ R&B), 40 Kanals and 02 marlas to the Mahkama Maal (Revenue Department) and 11 Kanals 10 marlas to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), but at present except a few Kanals of land under the control of the PWD/R&B Department, the rest land is neither in the possession of the Revenue Department nor in possession of the JDA, but has been grabbed by the private persons including land mafias who had not only managed illegal possession but have raised huge commercial establishments thereon.
The SVC taking serious note of encroachments made and irresponsible approach depicted by JDA authorities for not making efforts to get the land retrieved from illegal encroachers which amounted to dereliction from their legitimate duties besides huge loss to the state exchequer, directed Vice Chairman JDA to initiate immediate action against encroachers in order to get the State land retrieved back besides taking departmental and legal actions against those involved in various omissions and commissions resulting in huge loss to Government exchequer.
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