Land grabbers mock at Rule of Law
JAMMU: Enjoying politico-bureaucratic patronage and cover of police, the land-grabbers have switched over to new modus operandi of purchasing a bit of land in a secluded place with a view to grab the big chunk of holding in the surroundings to mint money.
The novel mode of encroaching upon the state land in the city periphery came to fore when villagers exposed one Guru Dutt Sharma, resident of Trikuta Nagar Jammu and his uncle Hardutt Sharma, who have purchased some land at Ghaseetpur village in Pouni Chak area with a view to grab the surrounding land of 400 kanals between Raipur Jageer and Ghaseetpur.
The agitated villagers told STATE TIMES that the duo have already encroached upon 900 Kanals of land in the village and are waiting in their wings to add up another 400 Kanals with active connivance of officials of, police, revenue and some influential politicians.
“We have brought this issue to the notice of Revenue Department and Jammu Development Authority but money and muscle power appears to be dominant to deter the law enforcing agencies from taking action”, said the villagers.
When contacted, Sushma Chouhan Vice Chairperson, Jammu development Authority expressed her helplessness on the face of non-cooperation and deep rooted official nexus.
Known for uprightness and integrity, Chouhan said that despite repeated reminders the Revenue authorities have not demarcated JDA land thereby restricting its role in taking cognizance of the complaint of villagers.
The insiders told STATE TIMES that the demarcation is not carried out purposely as some elements in the officialdom are hand in glove with the land grabbers. “They want to facilitate land grabbing and therefore are showing lackadaisical interest in demarcating the state land”, they said, alleging a deal between unscrupulous elements. They said that JDA is feeling helpless in dealing with the land-grabbers due to non co-operation of revenue department.
When contacted, officials of the Revenue Department gave a stoic reply, “We are so busy in other matters that demarcation of land is not possible again and again”. When asked how 900 Kanals of the state land has been usurped by Sharmas, they passed the buck to police and politicians.
On the contrary the police has altogether a different version on the brazen act of land grabbing involving huge chunk of 900 Kanals state land and attempt to grab another 400 kanals of JDA land. “We can’t initiate investigations unless the Revenue Department files a complaint about the land in illegal possession of land grabbers”, said a senior police officer to STATE TIMES, apprehending nexus into the huge-grab.
The helplessness of the police and the JDA speaks how strong the land mafia has grown due to patronage of Revenue Department. In the process, the State is getting fleeced unabatedly with political bosses showing least interest in cleansing the mess, possibly because the land-grab is impossible without patronage of those at the helm.
