Anti-encroachment drive intensified in Srinagar

Srinagar, Mar 1: Continuing its drive against illegal encroachments in the district, the Srinagar district administration Saturday retrieved 45 kanals of prime government land in Tehsil North of the district.
A team of officers led by Tehsildar North Dr Haroon Rashid along with SHO concerned and a team of police officials swung into action against land grabbers retrieving a massive 45 kanals of government land from illegal occupation in three different areas in the Tehsil.
The details of the government land retrieved during the drive include 20 kanals at Harwan area (Khasra No. 34 Min, 35 Min), 20 kanals at Chandpora area (Khasra No. 177) and 5 kanals at Murinderbagh (Khasra No. 635) area. The land is being handed over to the Srinagar Development Authority for utilisation for public purposes.
The district administration said anti-encroachment drive in the Tehsil will continue until all of the remaining of over 350 kanals of government land therein is retrieved from illegal occupation of encroachers.
It said that illegal entries made in revenue records of this Tehsil have already been expunged.
Meanwhile teams of officers led by Tehsildar Eidgah and Tehsildar Chanpora removed illegal encroachments in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
In Eidgah tehsil, encroachment of a road in Palpora area was removed and an illegal building under construction on government land at Lawaypora area was sealed and demolition process started, whereas in Chanpora tehsil several illegal structures were demolished and 4 kanals of prime government land at Rawalpora area retrieved — all done this week.
The administration has issued strict warnings to encroachers in all tehsils of the district. The encroachers have been instructed to voluntarily vacate government and kacharai land under their occupation failing which the administration has warned of initiation of criminal proceedings as part of land retrieval proceedings.
It is notable that special focus of efforts in this regard is being laid on encroachments in water bodies and banks of Jhelum and flood spill channels in the district. The administration is also making names of encroachers public with directions to remove encroachments.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary is personally supervising the drive for retrieval of encroached government and common lands in the district.
He has directed for and is personally monitoring purification of revenue records which is underway in earnest in the district.
The district administration is also examining the role of departments owning land and enforcement officials in its efforts against encroachments of government land in the district. It has also started the legal process for removal of all encroachments and illegal constructions in the district.