J&K Govt to cover top politicians, ex-bureaucrats, others soon

Anti-encroachment drive in Jammu

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 30: Jammu and Kashmir Government is expected to go after high-profile politicians, retired bureaucrats, bankers, doctors, separatists etc who have allegedly encroached upon Government land running into hundreds of kanals at Sunjuwan, Bhatindi and other areas on outskirts of Jammu City.
A day before, the administration had taken action against land encroached upon by former Minister and Congress leader Taj Mohi-ud-Din though the latter had denied this.
Sources told the Excelsior that top political leaders including former Ministers, separatists, ex-bureaucrats, doctors, bankers etc have been identified by the administration as encroachers of the Government land.
“Necessary formalities against the encroachers are being completed before evicting the land from their possession,” sources said, adding the encroachers mainly belonged to two major political parties of the Union Territory.
The retired bureaucrat had earlier joined another political party but later contested the District Development Council (DDC) elections as an Independent candidate and won.
“The drive will be carried out after all legal formalities are completed. It has, however, been established that high-profile politicians, doctors, bankers and ex-bureaucrats besides the separatists are in possession of encroached land at different places,” sources said, adding action against them will be taken soon.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has also been taken into confidence by the Jammu and Kashmir administration before initiating action, sources said. adding this was necessary as action involved high-profile politicians among others.
The decision is based on Jammu and Kashmir Government’s initiative “Aap Ki Zameen Aap Ki Nigrani’ launched recently under which major steps have been taken to remove encroachments on the Government land.
Recently, the Government has removed encroachments on 200 kanals of the Government land including former Minister and Congress leader Taj Mohi-ud-Din.
Apart from this, encroachments have also been removed at various other places across Jammu and Kashmir.
However, this will be for the first time when the Government will go all out against leading politicians and top retired bureaucrats in anti-encroachment drive.