SRINAGAR: The Jammu Kashmir government has said that a total of 1,621 kanals and 2 marlas of land belonging to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) are under encroachment, even as anti-encroachment drives are being carried out in coordination with the district administration.
In a written reply tabled in the Assembly, the Housing and Urban Development Department said that in addition to the JDA land, about 8 kanals and 16 marlas of land under the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) at Chatha are also encroached upon. However, the matter related to the JMC land is presently sub judice before the 1st Civil Subordinate Judge, Jammu.
The government said that some portions of the encroached land had been transferred to the JDA along with pre-existing encroachments. It added that regular anti-encroachment and demolition drives are being undertaken by the Authority in coordination with the revenue and police departments to retrieve such land. After retrieval, the land is being fenced and signboards are installed to prevent further encroachments.
The department clarified that no separate special task force has been constituted for the purpose of retrieving encroached JDA land, although joint operations are already being carried out with the concerned agencies.
On the issue of official involvement, the government said that whenever any instance of an officer or official being involved in facilitating encroachments comes to light, departmental inquiries and regular disciplinary action are initiated against the concerned officials.
