Over 11 lakh kanals of State land under possession of land mafia

 Over 11 lakh kanals of State land under possession of land mafia 

Politicians, bureaucrats and police officials among encroachers

Yash KhajuriaJAMMU, April 27: The strong nexus of influential politicians, top government officials, traders and land mafia continues to haunt the State Government as the huge chunk of its land was still under their illegal possession at various places across Jammu province and the latter has failed to take action against encroachers. 

As per the information provided by the government, as much as 11, 06,499 kanalsand even more of its land stands encroached by the land sharks in the Jammu province only.

Only three districts Jammu, Kathua and Samba have a total of 1,62,666 kanals ofland under illegal occupation, whereas in Districts Udhampur, Rajouri and Ramban 5,53,115 kanals of land was under encroachment out of which 3,92,035 kanals of encroached land falls under Rajouri district only.

District wise the encroachment figure stood at Reasi with 1,07,010 kanals, Kishtwar with 74,266 kanals, Poonch 64,135 Kanals, Kathua 28,535 Kanals, Udhampur 69,915 kanals, Samba 97,113 kanals, Rajouri 3,92,035 kanals, Ramban 91,163 kanals and Doda 1,10,649 kanals. Though, there are no reports of non statesubjects establishing colonies over the state land. 

Meanwhile, the occupants of state land have applied under Roshni scheme. 

Government claimed that concerned revenue field agencies have initiated eviction proceedings against such occupants whose application have been rejected by the concerned District price fixation committees constituted under the J&K state land / vesting of ownership to the occupants act.

Only the un-authorised occupants of the retrieved JDA land have been evicted as reported by the Divisional commissioner, Jammu. Since thousands of nomadic gujjars and bakkerwals are the part of the population of the state, says government reply.

Official sources said that hundreds of kanals of land on Jammu-Akhnoor road have been grabbed candidly by the politicians belonging to the ruling coalition partners, but no step is being taken against them despite several complaints.

The nexus is growing day by day with no check on influential persons by any anti-corruption body as they were either linked mostly to the ruling parties or enjoyed patronage of politicians and police.

Even some police officials posted in Samba, Kathua have helped the politicians of ruling congress-NC government in grabbing and have been given prestigious postings by the government. 

“The Revenue officials are quick to oblige the Ministers by converting title of theland on the names provided by them. Not only the Minister but also a number of his favourites including police and Revenue officials have also taken the advantage of poor anti-corruption mechanism”, said a source.

Former Tehsildar, Jammu, Bashir Patwari had not only been given out of turn promotion but also the prize posting of Jammu tehsil by a Cabinet Minister in lieu of a huge sum, sources said, adding when the officers get postings by paying a huge amount, they start indulging in encroachments and other kind of undesirable activities to plunder the State exchequer.

Sources said the General Administration Department (GAD) was sitting over grant of prosecution sanction to the Vigilance Organisation against a number of officials leading to delay in presentation of challans against them.

According to sources, such was the strong nexus among politicians, police, Revenue officials and land mafia that all of them had grown from rags to riches in just few years.
--