JAMMU: In almost a free for all scenario, land-grabbers seem to have taken centre-stage in disposing off duly demarcated land of Jammu Development Authority to private persons in connivance with officials. After encroachment of 5,700 Kanals of JDA land under the pretext of setting up of the so-called Sidhra Satellite Township in Jammu outskirts, chronic land grabbers have unleashed illegal sale of another over 10,000 Kanals to private parties.
After the award of land measuring over 15,854 kanals at Sidhra, Majheen and Rangoora area to JDA by the government for allotment to eligible persons for residential purposes, the JDA sat over the issue perhaps intentionally to allow the land grabbers have best of times in making deals with private persons by alienating plots on affidavits. As a result of fake deals, buildings have come up over 5,700 Kanal of grabbed land. The Durbar Move months are considered as prime-time when the visiting Valley families opt for plots to have their houses built near the winter capital.
Aware of brazen acts of land-grabbers, JDA Vice Chairman Mubarak Singh expressed his helplessness over the illegal sale of land, saying, “We cannot launch anti-encroachment drive without the support of administration and police. I am taking the issue with Divisional Commissioner for providing us manpower and police assistance so that a massive anti-encroachment drive can be launched.”
In fact, on January 30, 2013, an anti-encroachment drive was launched in Majheen area wherein over 200 Kanal encroached land was vacated after demolition of Pacca houses, which served as a clear message to the land grabber to end their illegal trade. Later, however, on political intervention, the matter was closed and none of the JDA official dared to pinpoint encroachments. This eventually resulted into the encroachment of over 1,000 Kanal of land during the past one year.
According to official records, 4,436 Kanals and 2 Marla land, falls under Sidhra Part-III on the upper side of the rail line. This portion of land had been awarded to the JDA, of which around 800 Kanals have been encroached .
Similarly, 2,379 Kanals and 2 Marlas of land, falling under Majheen Part-1 and 2,793 Kanals under Majheen Part-II had been awarded to JDA for allotment to people for residential purposes. While nearly 1500 Kanals situated at Majheen Part -I on Tawi side opposite ASSCOM Hospital have been encroached, over 1,500 Kanals land has been encroached at Majheen Part 11, adjoining the hospital.
In short, half of JDA land at Majheen has been grabbed. Land grabbers have not even spared the land adjoining the newly constructed Police Control Room (PCR) near Majheen.
Over 1,700 Kanal land, out of 3,412 Kanals at Rangoora Part-I, adjoining Majheen Part -I has been grabbed while 200 Kanals has been encroached at Rangoora Part-II, adjoining Majheen Part -II.
Shockingly, the staff deployed for guarding JDA land is allegedly nhand in glove with encroachers, who subsequently sell these as plots on affidavits.
It has been learnt that that JDA staffers, posted in the field, are working on the same posts for over a decade. Reliable sources informed that, the concerned JDA staffers write ‘customary letters’ (just for official record) purportedly to police every month stating that government land is being encroached. These back dated letters are sometimes sent by post, informed a local resident.
In Sidhra, Majheen and Rangoora, the government had acquired the land after paying compensation to the original owners, mostly Gujjars. In many cases, however, when JDA failed to take care of land, the ex- land owners re-occupied their lands and started selling these on affidavits.
Though JDA has not been able to carve out plots and allot these after carrying out due process yet the land grabbers have flourished in their illegal trade by selling the government land illegally
In Sidhra belt, majority of the buyers are from Valley. “This is the reason that political intervention stops JDA to launch anti-encroachment drives”, a local said.
The JDA was created in 1970, under the J & K Development Act No. XIX of 1970. All the vacant Nazool land located within 13 km radius of the Jammu city was handed over to JDA, to manage the land, develop it to create better infrastructure and in the process catering to the needs and demands of the fast expanding Jammu urban area.
However, over the years, JDA has not been able to develop planned colonies but the land grabbers have succeeded in raising illegal colonies all over Jammu.