Retrieval of the state-owned land from encroachers was in full swing in the entire union territory and many big and valuable patches of this type of land were retrieved from big-handed encroachers peacefully. However, the poor people were not touched anywhere. Even many constrictions were demolished that were constructed by influential and muscle power people.
Now, the administration has temporarily halted the process it is assumed that the government mulls to frame a process before starting it once again, which is a good and people-friendly gesture. It is not that the government has bowed its head before the opposition leaders as is evident from the fact that when they (the opposition) were on their toes against the drive.
It was verbally stated by the government that five to fifteen marlas of this type of land will be allotted to poor people but it was not given an official shape neither it was mentioned to whom the land will be given. There are many people among the common masses who have encroached on this type of land including landless poor people.
Now, a framework will be formed and then it is presumed that a threadbare discussion will take things to their logical conclusion. For this purpose, being a sensitive issue, the government should take all the stakeholders on board before setting any concrete policy. Here are a few suggestions regarding this:
A penal should be formed from Revenue, Irrigation and Flood Control, Rural Development and Housing and Urban Development departments, especially experts from the Law Department.
The penal should be empowered to take all the pros and cons into consideration. But here is a suggestion that if few marlas of this type of land are to be given, it shall be given to landless people only and will it be allotted to them in a proper way or it will be given to common masses with a poor background. Whether it will be a one-time offer or will continue onwards, in my opinion, it is best to allot a few marlas to the landless people and those who have constructed houses or shops on this type of land whether landless or common people. But the main thing is if the allotment process bag will be opened that too when there is a population explosion, the day is not far when the bag of the state-owned land will be empty.

Author is In-charge Record Room DC Office, Anantnag

Mohd Amin Mir