Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 21: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising First Puisne Judge Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice B S Walia today directed the official respondents to conduct enquiry into the complaints about illegal occupation of the State land in village Rehan of Basohli tehsil of Kathua district.
The order was passed in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Baldev Singh seeking direction to the respondents to protect and preserve the Government land measuring more than 300 kanals in Khasra No. 672/483/1 situated at village Rehan.
In the PIL prayer has also been made for initiation of criminal proceedings against the officials of the Forest and Revenue Departments for facilitating the encroachment of Government land by mafia.
After hearing both the sides, DB observed, “in order to preserve the Government land the official-respondents are directed to conduct a thorough enquiry on the nature of complaints which have been filed before them by the petitioner and take appropriate steps if warranted”.
“Needless to state that various departments of the Government are bound to ensure that Government land which is in unauthorized occupation is preserved and the same should be recovered. Therefore, Deputy Commissioner Kathua or other officers as the case may be are directed to take appropriate action against the illegal occupants. However, it is made clear that if the right of any private individual more particularly Ashok Kumar, son of Balwant Raj of Mandla is effected he should be put on notice so as to enable them to seek appropriate legal remedy”, the DB said.
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