The encroachment of state land is not only limited to Bhathindi and Sunjawan as it exists across length and breadth of Jammu district at an alarming proportion on which the administration should not close its eyes for giving fertile ground to communal forces to grind their own axe, says Prof SK Bhalla, the main plaintiff in Roshni Scam PIL.
JAMMU: Despite all the honest intentions of LG Manoj Sinha led administration to retrieve state land from encroachers, a section of mischievous elements are hell bent to scuttle the move taking advantage of opacity in the ongoing move.
Reliable sources in the administration informed that the main cause of hue and cry raised by the common man is due to alleged soft approach towards the big wigs who are in possesion of prime land worth several crores in the heart of Jammu city.
Sharing a report of encroachments prepared by the then Add DC (Law and order), Jammu which contains names of mighty businessmen of Jammu city, reliable sources said “The grouse prevailing among people can be redressed if the government adopts top down approach in the eviction drive”.
Till date in Jammu district, except a few, administration has not retrieved the prime land from list of influential encroachers of state land in Khasra No 781 comprising ex Revenue Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla, Subash Choudhary, OM Parkash (Ex MLA), one Choudhary (Retired SSP), One Mirza (DySP), Mohan Meakin, Anchor firm as detailed in the Roshni scam Judgment. The total encroached state/JDA land in Khasara No 781 is 156 kanals.
In addition, except one Bansi Lal Gupta, so far not even an inch of land has been retrieved from those who figured in the list which was signed by Tehsildar South of Revenue Department as well as Tehsildar JDA, Samridhi Sharma.
Till date, there is no official data with names of encroachers available in public domain about the exact status of total state/JDA/forest encroached land retrieved.
Not, only this even hundred kanals of state /JDA land at Ploura is illegally under possesion of one former MP associated with BJP. In addition, house of one former DyCM Kavinder Gupta is also allegedly constructed on encroached land. Even, scores of hotels located in the vicinity of BC and Residency Road are on state land. Even in Jagti, Ragoora and Majeen, Bajalta, Hiranagar, Vijaypur, Nagrota, Bajalta- the land mafia is still calling the shots, says Prof SK Bhalla.
There are also reports that one retired IGP and his daughter is in possesion of state land more than 150 kanals in Phallian Mandal.
Without failure, the administration should start putting in public domain the status of state, forest and JDA land retrieved in Jammu as well as Kashmir division alongwith details of encroachers to till date, says a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.