*Roshni Scheme blatantly abused to confer undue benefits
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 23: Establishing that officers and officials of the Revenue Department have been openly facilitating encroachments on the State and departmental land, the Jammu divisional administration has detected illegal mutation of Animal Husbandry Department land in favour of private persons in blatant violation of J&K State Lands (Vesting of Owner Rights to the Occupants) Act, 2001.
Interestingly, one officer of the Revenue Department has been issued show cause notice under rules while as another was allowed to go scot free despite the fact that he had tried to encroach the land and had also resorted to firing to fulfill his ill-designs.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that on January 14, 2016 a serving Revenue Officer tried to encroach upon land of Animal Husbandry Department at Jallo Chak in Bari Brahamana tehsil of Samba district. In order to translate his ill-designs into reality, the officer even resorted to firing in full public glare.
Subsequently, it came to the notice of the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal that some private persons tried to grab the land of Animal Husbandry Department claiming ownership under Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of Ownership Rights to the Occupants) Act, 2001 and attestation of mutation.
Accordingly, the Divisional Commissioner directed the Deputy Commissioner Samba, Sheetal Nanda to conduct inquiry to ascertain as to how Government departmental land was processed for vesting of ownership rights along with the details of officers/officials who attested the mutation in favour of private party inspite of being aware about physical possession of Animal Husbandry Department and Police Post over the land.
The Deputy Commissioner Samba vide Letter No. DCS/Adc/15-16/1041 dated March 22, 2016 intimated to the Divisional Commissioner that the mutation of land—Animal Husbandry Land with Police Post on it was attested by the then Tehsildar Bari Brahamana Majeed Choudhary in favour of private person vide Mutation No.4581 dated December 8, 2014.
The Deputy Commissioner further apprised the Divisional Commissioner that as per Roshni Act, 2001, ownership mutation cannot be attested if physical possession and recorded Girdawari over the piece of the land is not established and continuous prior to Kharief 2004.
Keeping in view the report of the Deputy Commissioner Samba, the Divisional Commissioner vide Letter No.101/3073/16/226-32 dated April 21, 2016 has issued show cause notice to Majeed Choudhary, Tehsildar Bishnah with the direction to explain his position within week’s time failing which it will be presumed that he has nothing to say in the matter and action as warranted under rules will be initiated against him.
Though process has been initiated to take action against Tehsildar, who attested the mutation of Agriculture Department Land, the serving Revenue Officer, who tried to encroach the State land on the basis of illegal mutation and even resorted to firing for the purpose, has been allowed to go scot free for unknown reasons, sources said.
When contacted, a senior officer of the Samba district administration refused to reveal the identity of this particular Revenue Officer and said, “it is up to Divisional Commissioner what action is to be taken against this Revenue Officer”. Not only the district administration Samba even Divisional Commissioner’s show cause notice remained silent about the officer who made encroachment attempt and even resorted to firing.
Despite repeated attempts, Divisional Commissioner couldn’t be reached to ascertain action having been contemplated against this particular Revenue Officer.
“This instance has once again established that Roshni Scheme was abused to confer undue benefits upon influential persons. Moreover, this instance clearly establishes that encroachment of State land had taken place and is still taking place with the connivance of the Revenue Department officers and officials”, sources said.
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