Over 5 lakh kanals of state land retrieved; efforts on to free more

SRINAGAR: More than five lakh kanals (20 kanals form one hectare) of government land has been retrieved in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have retrieved five lakh kanals of land so far. We had to retrieve 22 lakh kanals of land in total. Earlier, we had retrieved 10 lakh kanals of the land. Officials are on their toes to retrieve the remaining seven lakh kanals of land,” Commissioner Secretary, Revenue, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, told The Kashmir Monitor.

On January 9, the government asked all 20 deputy commissioners to launch operation and remove encroachments on state land. The government had set January 31 deadline for retrieving the land.

The government has decided to fence some portion of the retrieved land to prevent encroachments. “We are adopting a two-fold approach. Wherever it is necessary, we will fence the land. Some of the land can be given to the departments. That way we can prevent their encroachments,” said Bidhuri.

Unlike past, this time, the government has started the drive from the top. From politicians to bureaucrats and from police officials to businessmen, the bulldozers have been used across the board without any discrimination.

Around 40 kanals of land were retrieved from Nedou’s Hotel. This property belongs to the close kin of former chief minister Farooq Abdullah. A structure owned by National Conference General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar’s wife at Airport road was also demolished after it was found to have been constructed on encroached land.

The government also retrieved the state land allegedly occupied by former J&K Congress chief Peerzada Mohammad Syeed, the family of former minister Syed Farooq Andrabi, and the heirs of former chief minister Syed Mir Qasim. The revenue department also demolished the outer wall of orchard land belonging to the family of a deputy inspector general rank officer in the Mattan area. 

District Administration Srinagar retrieved over 494 kanals of prime land worth ₹ 509 crore in a single day. Two hotels were also sealed.

 Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Mohammad Aijaz Asad lauded the efforts of Tehsildars and their teams. “Continue the anti-encroachment drives in their respective jurisdictions as per standing instructions with added zeal and dedication,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging a circular issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government directing deputy commissioners to remove encroachments on State Land including Roshni Land and Kachharie Land by January 31.

“If we protect your possession, it will affect entire J&K encroachments…. At the most, we can give them some reasonable time to vacate”, said the Bench of Justice MR Shah and Justice BV Nagarathna.