Over 1,400 kanal state land under illegal occupation outside J&K

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 28

The government disclosed today that over 1,400 kanals of state land was under illegal occupation of various Central government departments and private persons outside the state.

The minister in charge of Hospitality and Protocol, in a written reply to the query of a PDP MLC, gave details about land under illegal occupation. The minister said the state government had 1,251 kanals and 4 marlas at Mirpur in Sirsa district of Haryana as per revenue records.

“This land is under unauthorised occupation of Bajwa Brothers. They transferred ownership to Mirpur Cooperative Society in 1986. A revision petition filed by the state was dismissed by the Hisar Commissioner in 2012. A writ petition has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh for restoration of land to the state government,” the reply read.

“As per the latest information provided by the resident representative in Chandigarh, the applicability of Article 131 of the Indian Constitution was argued by ML Saggar. The High Court issued a notice of motion. The case is sub judice and the next date of hearing is July 18,” it added.

It was stated in the reply that 96 kanals, known as Kashmir House on Rajaji Marg in New Delhi was under occupation of the Ministry of Defence with effect from June 1946.

“The state government is vigorously pursuing the matter by raising the issue before the Northern Zonal Council and the ministry concerned from time to time,” it stated.

It said the Jammu and Kashmir Government owned 1 kanal and 6.8 marlas in Sector 17-A in Chandigarh, which was under occupation of the Labour Bureau.

The government stated that the Ministry of Lbour and Employment had purchased land for construction of Labour Bureau office in Chandigarh. “As soon as the construction is completed, the premises will be vacated by the ministry concerned,” the minister said.

The minister said the state government had 32 kanals and 9 marlas at Daim Gunj in Amritsar, which was under unauthorised occupation of family members of the original lease holders.

“Three eviction suits were filed for retrieval of the land, of which two suits for 29 kanals and 14 marlas were decreed by the court in favour of Jammu and Kashmir,” the reply read.