Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 7: Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Simrandeep Singh today ordered suspension of a Patwari for making illegal mutation of forest land in favour of some private persons and recommended departmental and criminal action against the Tehsildar.
According to the order, during the course of land identification for Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu, it was brought to the notice of Deputy Commissioner Jammu by the Divisional Forest Officer that a sizeable part of forest land in Khasra No.1297 of village Jagti had illegally been mutated in favour of some private persons in terms of Government Order No.LB-6/C of 1958 and S-422 of 1966 thereby conferring proprietary rights upon them.
Subsequently, a preliminary enquiry was conducted and it came to the fore that Raj Singh, the then Patwari Halqa Jagti (presently posted as Patwari Halqa Sidhra), entered mutation No.1033 of land measuring 31 kanals and 10 marlas recorded in the ownership of the State in Khasra No.1297 of village Jagti and under the occupation of Forest Department in compartment No.4/R of Jagti in favour of some private persons, which was attested by Avtar Singh Jasrotia, the then Tehsildar Jammu (presently posted as Tehsildar Kathua).
According to the DFO, the land in question has remained in continuous possession of the Forest Department for the last 40 years and the same was substantiated during the process of land identification for IIT Jammu. The same land was finally transferred to IIT Jammu by Forest Department vide its Order No. 41/FST of 2016 dated February 11, 2016.
It is pertinent to mention here that provision under LB 6/C and S-432 clearly provides that such of the occupants of the State land only as had been in cultivating possession in Kharief 1957 shall be granted proprietary right. Moreover, this provision states that land must be in cultivable possession and beneficiary must be having continuous physical and cultivating possession on the land.
Observing that public servants have by abuse of their official position conferred proprietary rights upon private persons in respect of uncultivable land (Gair Mumkin), the Deputy Commissioner has suspended Patwari Raj Singh with immediate effect and attached him with his office. Moreover, a departmental enquiry has been ordered to be conducted in a reasonable time-frame.
Deputy Commissioner has asked the ADC (Admn) to write to the Government and State Vigilance Organization for initiating departmental and criminal action against the then Tehsildar Jammu as the disciplinary authority for the same falls in the domain of the Government.
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