Involve DDCs, BDCs, PRIs in anti-encroachment drives: SDM Sumbal

Bandipore: Acting tough against land grabbers, the District Administration Bandipora retrieved around 1600 kanals of government land in single-day anti-encroachment drives carried out across the district on Thursday, thereby increasing the total retrieved land to around 28,000 kanals, which includes 13217 kanals of State and 15471 kanals of Kahcharai land.
It was informed that over the last week, around 3000 kanals of land was retrieved from the land grabbers including 500 kanals of land in Sumbal lying adjacent to the highway having industrial utility. The retrieved land is also being earmarked for various public purposes like developmental projects, playgrounds, village-centric amenities, industries, etc. by the revenue officials in consultation with concerned villagers/PRIs. Signboards were erected immediately after the eviction drives.
Out of total 20,887 Kahcharai land, 15471 kanals have been retrieved amounting to 75% of Kahcharai land in the district, an official said, adding that the concerned tehsildars have already issued notices to the encroachers and the efforts for removal of encroachments on the rest of the land are underway and in full swing.
Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad said that illegal occupation of government and public land puts stress on land resources. He urged the encroachers to voluntarily remove illegal occupancies or face action. He said the district has created a land bank of around 25,000 kanals, out of which around 1550 kanals have been earmarked for Industrial Estates, 2000 kanals for Industrial Use (out of which around 1377 kanals stand already transferred), around 100 kanals for Handloom/ Handicraft and other agri-based activities, and around 200 kanals for setting up of Housing Colony in Watpora, Sumbal.
Meanwhile, the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sumbal, Amir Choudhary on Friday convened a meeting of tehsil level anti-encroachment teams to discuss the progress of anti-encroachment drives. The meeting discussed threadbare various measures to be employed to ensure removal of encroachments before the stipulated time.
Achieving daily targets given to all tehsils was also discussed threadbare. The SDM asked the concerned teams to involve DDCs, BDCs, PRIs and locals in anti-encroachment drives to retrieve the land and protect it from land grabbers. He asked the concerned to ensure that land is not encroached again as the land retrieved is meant for developmental projects.

GOWHAR MAQBOOL