Jammu: Pursuant to court directives and displaying its strong resolve for “zero tolerance policy” against the encroachers, the UT administration retrieved a whopping 272 Kanals of State and forest land, valuing around Rs 300 Cr, during anti-encroachment drives, in Jammu district on Sunday.
As per official sources, retrieved 260 Kanals State land comprised 220 Kanals near Tawi river valuing around Rs 200 Cr and 40 Kanals, along the National Highway in village Chhanni Rama, valuing Rs 56 Cr.
However, 12 Kanal prime forest land worth crores was retrieved in Sidhra Ragoora Majeen demarcated forest area near Environmental Park, Raika on the outskirts of Jammu city.
Official sources maintained that though the value of State land was estimated to be around 256 Cr as per Stamp Duty rates yet its market value was much higher.
“The drive to retrieve State land was carried out by the district administration this morning at two locations,” officials said.
“An anti-encroachment drive was launched by the Revenue Department along with the police teams in village Jammu Khas of tehsil Jammu and Chhanni Rama of tehsil Bahu whereby 260 Kanals of State land was retrieved during the daylong exercise,” they stated.
It was learnt through official sources that a large patch of 220 Kanals of State land located near Tawi river in village Jammu Khas was retrieved after dismantling 15 structures. The total value of this patch was estimated to be close to Rs 200 Cr as per Stamp Duty rates.
According to officials, another prime patch of land totalling 40 Kanals situated along the National Highway in village Chhanni Rama, Tehsil Bahu was also retrieved simultaneously.
“A total of 52 structures including 6 large commercial buildings situated on this patch were demolished during the exercise. The value of this land is estimated to Rs 56 Cr as per Stamp Duty rates though the market value is much higher owing to large scale commercial establishments that are located in the vicinity and along the National Highway,” officials informed.
“Tawi river bed area, where 260 kanals of State land (khasra no 302 & 303 of Tehsil Jammu Khaas) was retrieved, had been illegally occupied by ex-minister Taj Mohi-ud Din,” official sources stated.
Official sources further informed, “In case of a second location opposite Wave Mall on the National Highway, here around 15 Kanals of land, out of total 35 Kanals of State land, was under illegally built commercial buildings while 20 kanals of land was vacant. The encroached land retrieved had the properties belonging to the Head of Beigh construction company, complex of ex-minister Abdul Majeed Wani, Suhul Nissan showroom and the property under the occupation of Jamat Ali, Lambardar.”
Following drives, prominent sign boards depicting State land were erected at the retrieved sites in order to secure the retrieved land and prevent any re-encroachment attempt by the land grabbers, the officials added.
Officials pointed out that several directives were issued by the High Court J&K and UT Government for removal of encroachments on State land. “In pursuance to the directions, action plan has been formulated for retrieval of such land and State land and over 15000 Kanals of State land has been retrieved in the district over the past 3 months and sign boards stand installed,” later DC Jammu Anshul Garg tweeted on his official Twitter handle.
“The land so retrieved shall be put to gainful use keeping in view the requirements projected by various Government Departments as well as priorities of the administration,” the officials informed.
In a separate exercise, the Forest Department retrieved 12 Kanals of Forest land in Compartment No 65/Bahu located along the National Highway in a demarcated forest area near Environmental Park, Raika. The joint eviction drive was carried out by the Forest Department and J&K Police whereby 17 structures were dismantled for retrieval of land under the supervision of Conservator of Forest, East Circle, Jammu B Mohandass and Divisional Forest Officer, Jammu.
Conservator of Forest East Circle Jammu said the eviction was carried out after providing reasonable opportunity to encroachers for vacating the forest land and after following due procedure laid down under Indian Forest Act, 1927.