Nearly 50% of total land remains under encroachment
*No possession given even after taking advance premium
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 16: The administration of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has failed to develop Balol Industrial Complex in Bari Brahmana area of Samba district during the past several years and nearly 50% of its land is still under the encroachment with negligible effort to remove the same, which otherwise is imperative for allotment of plots to the applicants.
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Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in the year 2017 applications were invited under Industrial Policy 2016 for allotment of land at SIDCO Industrial Complex Balol and around 150 people who intended to establish their units showed interest for about 350 kanals of land and even deposited advance payments against prevalent land premium.
However, the process got stalled mainly because of delay on the part of the Revenue Department in formally transferring the earmarked land to SIDCO, sources said, adding it was only last year that land transfer process was completed but only few applicants were handed over land as during all these years no efforts were made to remove encroachments from nearly 50% of the total land.
Last year, a drive was conducted by the Samba district administration to remove encroachment but faced tough resistance from the occupants, who even damaged JCB engaged for demolition of the illegally built structures. Thereafter, no further efforts were made to evict the illegal occupants, which otherwise is imperative to pave the way for allotment of land to the applicants.
“More than 100 applicants are moving from pillar to post to get the land even after making advance payments and receipt of preliminary registration from the concerned authorities”, sources informed, adding “these applicants knocked every door in the administration but received only assurance and ground situation continues to remain the same as was several years back”.
In the meanwhile, the lease deed and preliminary registration timelines have expired and entire exercise has to be started afresh by SIDCO that too after completion of lengthy process, sources said while disclosing that a proposal in this regard prepared by SIDCO will have to be first placed before a committee headed by Administrative Secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department and thereafter the same will be forwarded to the higher authorities for approval.
When contacted, an officer of the Samba district administration said, “the land, which was retrieved during last year’s anti-encroachment drive, was not timely protected by SIDCO as a result of which encroachers have again taken the same under their control”. He added that fresh efforts will be made to retrieve the land and for the same strategy is being chalked out.
However, officers of SIDCO said, “it was the duty of the Revenue Department to provide encumbrance free land and had this been done timely we would have proceeded in providing land to the prospective entrepreneurs”. They added, “we are quite hopeful of early decision on other aspects—expiry of timelines for lease deed and preliminary registration”.
Meanwhile, a number of allottees from whom the authorities have taken advance premium have urged the authorities to remove the bottlenecks and handover land after completing the due process as early as possible as inordinate delay has already led to frustration among the first generation entrepreneurs.
“Many allottees have already missed out on the benefits of the Industrial Packages due to non fulfillment of land allotment conditions”, they said, adding “the prolonged wait has already dampened the spirit of young entrepreneurs and stifled their aspirations. Moreover, delay in allotment has already led to recurring encroachment problems further complicating the situation”.
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