497 acres of govt land vacated in Kapurthala

Kapurthala, June 3

The district administration has made a remarkable contribution to the Punjab Government’s drive against illegal encroachments on government lands, especially from shamlat land, by vacating 497 acres of government land in the district till May 31.

The vacated land has been transferred to the Panchayat Department, which earns more than Rs 45 lakh, by giving it on lease through open bidding by village panchayats.

Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, Vishesh Sarangal, who led the drive, informed that Rs 45.05 lakh had been deposited in the state exchequer by the Panchayat Department after bidding for the land by panchayats.

The DC said as per the directions of the Punjab Government, the illegal occupants were requested to vacate government lands by May 31, which got a huge response from people as the administration encouraged them to do it voluntarily.

He said the district administration had also launched a campaign to enforce the warrants issued by the District Development and Panchayat Officer-cum-Collector Panchayat Lands in favour of gram panchayats regarding shamlat lands.

The DC said out of 497 acres, three acres of land vacated at Talwandi Chaudriyan village, three acres at Maheru, 74 acres at Lakhpur, 10 kanals at Bhabana, 128 acres at Khukhrain , 32 acres at Amanipur, 37 acres at Maqsoodpur, 176 acres at Alaudipur, four acres at Raipur Pir Bakhshwala and 38 acres at Narkat village. He further said the land vacated was given on lease by the village panchayats through open bidding except 37 acres at Maqsoodpur village. He said the orders had been issued to expedite the process of vacating land at Maqsoodpur.

Sarangal directed the ADC (Development), District Rural Development and Panchayat Officers, all BDPOs to personally monitor land vacating operation, besides submitting a weekly report. He said as per the decisions of the Collector Courts of the Panchayat Department, the land should be cleared of illegal occupants by implementing the “warrant“ as soon as possible.