Vohra sets eyes on encroached land, orders major eviction plan

Div Coms asked to prepare list of major encroachments by Aug 15

SRINAGAR: Taking a strong note of the non-serious approach of authorities in the ever-growing menace of land encroachments in state, currently standing at well over 18 lakh kanals, Governor N N Vohra has set a deadline of 15 August, for initiation of action for the removal of encroachments.

Calling for immediate enforcement of strict surveillance, the Governor has asked his administration to get prepared a list of major encroachments, underlining those on National Highways, major roads, public places, commercial hubs especially causing obstruction and nuisance, and start evicting the encroachers, the results of which he would review within a week of the Independence Day.

Governor Vohra passed on these instructions while chairing a high level meeting at the State Secretariat on Saturday to gain a first-hand assessment of the scale and nature of land encroachments in the State.

When he was given a detailed presentation by KB Agarwal, Financial Commissioner, Housing and Urban Development Department, Governor was unpleasantly shocked to learn that there was more than 18 lakh kanals of Government, Panchayat and Forest lands in the State, encroached in gross violation of the Revenue, Forest and Municipal laws.

Governor Vohra directed all District Collectors in the State to immediately carry out a comprehensive mapping of all encroachments relating to State, Forest and Panchayat lands, Dal, Wular, Nageen lakes and other water bodies, Highways and public roads in their respective jurisdictions and forward the same through the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu by 31st July, 2018.

He directed the District Collectors to make full use of available technologies, such as Geo Tagging and Satellite Mapping, to prepare a fully verified database by the given date.

Governor directed Chief Secretary to ensure that the instructions earlier issued by the Revenue Department, pursuant to the Supreme Court Orders in “Jagpal Singh Vs. State of Punjab and Others” should be suitably revised to clearly lay down the roles and responsibilities of District and Divisional Administration regarding encroachments on government/public lands and issued to all concerned for effectively enforcing the law to secure the existing encroachments on time bound basis and ensure against fresh encroachments.

Governor directed that both Divisional Commissioners, after they receive base data reports from their District Collectors, should prepare by 15thAugust 2018 lists of major encroachments, especially on National Highways, major roads, public places, commercial hubs etc. especially those which are causing obstruction/ nuisance and initiate time-bound action for the eviction of encroachments.

Governor directed Divisional Commissioners to ensure that the Deputy Commissioners enforced: (i) the Ribbon Development Act and other legal provisions to strictly ensure against encroachments, particularly along both sides of the National Highway from Lakhanpur onwards; (ii) urgently reviewed issues relating to enlargement of Abadi Deh for meeting the genuine housing requirements of the people living in the villages. He also directed that the Police department should provide all required assistance by deploying adequate forces to remove illegal encroachments.

Governor directed Chief Secretary to review the status of digitization of land records in the State, which stands inordinately delayed. Governor observed that he shall take a further meeting to review results achieved, around 20th August 2018.

Khursheed Ganai, Advisor to Governor, suggested that a Special Court or Tribunal be constituted to hear all cases pertaining to encroachments so that evictions in such cases are not delayed by the parties seeking stay of proceedings from various Courts.

The meeting was also attended the other two Advisors--BB Vyas and K Vijay Kumar, B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Dr. S.P. Vaid, Director General of Police; Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Ravi Kesar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief Wild Life Warden; B. Siddhartha Kumar, Chairman, Pollution Control Board; RK Goyal, Principal Secretary, Home; Shahid Anayat Ullah, Secretary, Revenue; and many other senior officers some of whom also attended through Video Conferencing.