*HC directives yielding results in Jammu, no major progress in Valley
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 2: In a major development, the administration has removed illegal entries pertaining to around four lakh kanals of State land from the revenue record in all the 10 districts of Jammu Province on the directions of Division Bench of State High Court and exercise in respect of remaining 6 lakh kanals of land is going on at a fast pace. However, similar exercise in Kashmir valley has yet not picked up momentum till date.
In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting encroachment of State land in the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir, the Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Janak Raj Kotwal and Justice B S Walia had on February 22, 2017 directed the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu to file status reports indicating the persons against whom eviction proceedings have been commenced and status thereof in each case by or before first week of April, 2017.
These directions of the Division Bench were based on the submissions made by the Divisional Commissioners, who were present in person, that action with regard to removal of encroachments/ unauthorized occupation has already been commenced and explicit instructions have been issued to the Deputy Commissioners in this regard.
“In compliance to these directions of the High Court, the Deputy Commissioners of all the 10 districts of Jammu province have removed illegal entries pertaining to around four lakh kanals of State land from the revenue records”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “similar exercise in respect of remaining six lakh kanals of State land is going on at required pace”.
They disclosed that all the illegal occupants were issued eviction notices following which some of them even filed response before the concerned authorities, which after considering all the aspects decided to remove the illegal entries from the revenue records at the first instance. “The revenue record clearly states that State is the owner of four lakh kanals of land but occupancy has been shown in the name of huge number of persons”, sources informed.
“With the removal of these illegal entries the occupants of such a huge chunk of land can neither sell the State land in their possession nor can they stake claim for benefit under any Roshni like scheme to be considered by the Government in future”, sources said while disclosing that physical eviction of the encroachers from the State land would begin in the coming days so as to implement the directions of State High Court in letter and spirit.
According to the sources, Divisional Commissioner Jammu is going to convene meeting of Deputy Commissioners of all the districts of Jammu province tomorrow to review the progress in removal of illegal entries from the revenue records in respect of remaining six lakh kanals of State land. “He has also issued directions to the Deputy Commissioners to furnish the names of the persons against whom eviction proceedings have been launched so as to submit a status report in this regard to the High Court”, they added.
While the High Court directives have started yielding positive results in Jammu region, no major progress has been made in this regard in Kashmir valley, sources said, adding “majority of the Deputy Commissioners of Kashmir province have yet not started removal of illegal entries from the revenue record in respect of State land under illegal occupation of huge number of people”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Division Bench of State High Court had observed in its order dated February 22, 2017 that removal of encroachment/unauthorized occupation is a task to be executed by the Government authorities given its seriousness and magnitude.
According to the sources, the action on the directions of the High Court has created storm with illegal occupants trying their level best to exert political pressure for scuttling the exercise. Even the issue has been raised before the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti but she has refused to intervene as implementation of directions of the High Court will help in restoration of land to the State which can be used for developmental projects wherever required for the benefits of the common masses.
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