Bandipora admin sets record; retrieves 1600 kanals of encroached land in a single day

 Sheikh Saleem

Bandipora Jan 19:  The Bandipora district administration has launched a massive drive against illegal encroachment and has set a record of retrieving 1600 Kanals of encroached land in a single day.

According to an official statement, acting on the directions issued by the lieutenant governor administration, the district administration launched a massive drive across the district against the encroachers.

In a circular issued on January 9, Commissioner Secretary of the Revenue Department, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, directed all deputy commissioners to ensure 100 percent removal of encroachments from state land, including Roshni and Kahcharai, by the end of January.

The circular attracted sharp criticism  from political parties demanding immediate withdrawl of the circular.

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Owais Ahmad said  they  retrieved around 1600 kanals of government land in single day during anti-encroachment drives carried out across the district thereby increasing the total retrieved land to around 28,000 Kanals which includes 13,217 kanals of state land and 15,471 kanals of Kahcharai land. 

He said at most of the places local communities voluntarily handed over the land and cooperated with the administration. He appreciated the people's cooperation and assured that the land will be put to public use including setting up Industrial estates and agro based industries.

Dr Owais said in last one week around 3000 kanals of land was retrieved from the land grabbers including 500 kanals of land in sumbal lying adjacent to Srinagar-Ladakh Highway and Srinagar-Bandipora road having industrial and commercial utility besides having a huge market value. 

He said the retrieved land is being earmarked for various public purposes including developmental projects, playgrounds, village centric amenities, industries, etc. by the Revenue officials in consultation with concerned villagers/PRIs and sign boards are also erected immediately after the eviction drives". 

"Out of total 20,887 of Kahcharai land, 15,471 Kanals of land has been retrieved amounting to 75 percent of Kahcharai land in the district," Dr Owais added.

According to a statement issued by the District Information Centre Bandipora, official spokesperson said that the Bandipora district has created a land bank of around 25,000 Kanals out of which around 1550 Kanals have been earmarked for Industrial Estates, 2000 Kanals for Industrial Use (Out of which around 1377 Kanals stand already transferred), around 100 Kanals for Handloom/ Handicraft and other agri-based activities while around 200 Kanals  have been earmarked for setting up of Housing Colony in Watpora Bandipora. 

He said in Sumbal sub division, 500 Kanals of prime land having industrial utility lying adjacent to highway was retrieved in last week and anti-encroachment drives are taken to preserve Government land from illegal possession of land mafia and use the land for public good. 

The concerned Tehsildars have already issued notices to the encroachers and the efforts for removal of encroachments on the rest of the land are underway and in full-swing, he added.

The Deputy Commissioner said that illegal occupation of Government and public land puts stress on land resources and urged the encroachers to voluntarily remove illegal occupancies or face action. 

The Deputy Commissioner said anti-encroachment drives are underway across the district and urged public to cooperate in anti-encroachment drives carried out by administration.

Dr. Owais also appreciated the efforts of concerned Tehsildars and other field officials of Revenue Department in anti-encroachment drives and asked them to speed up the drives with added efforts and dedication.