126 acres of village common land freed of encroachments in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, May 13

Acting sternly against encroachers and land sharks, the district administration has freed over 126 acres of village common land of illegal occupations in various parts of Ludhiana, officials have said.

Figures at a glance

276 acresTotal land under encroachments

126.5 acres Freed

Yet to be vacated: 150 acres

• Biggest chunk vacated: 60.4 acres at Mand Chaunta village
• Land cost: Several crores of rupees

OfficialSpeak

We have appealed to all those, who are still in illegal possession of government lands, to immediately vacate them voluntarily, otherwise strict action will be taken against encroachers and the encroached lands will be freed of illegal occupations in the coming days. — Surabhi Malik, DC

While the possession of the freed land worth crores of rupees has been handed back to the village panchayats concerned, another 150 acres of government land has been identified across the district, which was still under encroachments and will be vacated soon, the administration has confirmed.

Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik told The Tribune here on Friday that the district administration had launched a special drive against encroachments and a zero tolerance policy was adopted towards illegal occupation of government land in the district.

“Following the directions of the state government, we have been able to free almost half of the total encroached land in the district during the past 12 days while the rest of the illegal occupations on the government lands will be removed in coming days,” she said.

Divulging the block and village-wise data of the government land that was under illegal occupations for the past several years and has now been vacated, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Amit Kumar Panchal said the biggest chunk of over 60 acres of village common land had been freed in Mand Chaunta village in the Ludhiana 2 block followed by 23 acres in Bhoopana village in Ludhiana 2, and 10 acres at Bagga Khurd village in Ludhiana 1.

The village and block-wise details of vacated government land showed that two acres were freed at Hiyatpur village in the Machhiwara block, 8.1 acres at Sesonwal village in Machhiwara, 1.16 kanal at Taprian village in Machhiwara, 10 acres at Bagga Khurd in Ludhiana 1, 2.4 acres at Burj Labran in Ludhiana 1, another 2.4 acres at Jhammat in Ludhiana 1, four kanals at Sanghowal in Ludhiana 1, 23.4 acres at Bhoopana in Ludhiana 2, six kanals at Daddahur in Raikot, 12 acres at Galib Kalan in Jagraon, 1.1 acres at Pauheer in Dehlon, 60.4 acres at Mand Chaunta in Ludhiana 2, and another 2.5 acres of village common land was freed of encroachments at Kariana Kalana in the Ludhiana 2 block.

Panchal said the vacated village common lands would be given on contract after following due procedures and the income thereof will be credited to accounts of village panchayat concerned, which will be spent for development and other common purposes of the village. “The process was underway to vacate all the remaining government lands from encroachments in the district,” the ADC (D) added.

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