JAMMU: Expressing dismay over the negligent approach being adopted by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and Revenue Department in protecting State land transferred to JDA by the Government under order No NDJ-46 of 1973 and SRO 263 of 2004, the State Vigilance Commission (SVC), which met here under the chair of Chief Vigilance Commissioner, has directed the officers of both the departments to take all necessary measures for securing government property prior it is encroached upon by land mafia groups and land grabbers.
The SVC also directed the Director Land Management and the Secretary of the Authority to remain associated with demarcation team constituted by Deputy Commissioner Jammu for the purpose and extend all assistance to the team in identifying and demarcating the land at Deeli, Jammu.
The Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Jammu, who is heading the team, has been instructed to submit action taken report to the Commission immediately after the demarcation process of the said land is completed.
These directions were issued by the Commission while adjudicating upon a complaint lodged by Mohammad Sidiq of Trikuta Nagar, Jammu against the officials of the Revenue department complaining therein that 19 kanals of State land, under survey No. 781 at Deeli, Jammu, has fraudulently been transferred to some persons by the Revenue officials allegedly on charging huge bribe.
Taking cognizance of the complaint, the State Vigilance Commission sought a report from Deputy Commissioner Jammu which exhibited that 21 kanals and 15 marlas of land had been mutated in the name of one Khayali Ram. The report further mentioned that mutation of two Kanals had been made in the name of Satyam Resorts Pvt Ltd through its Director Subhash Choudhary.
Meanwhile the report, based on the investigation of crime branch, submitted by Vigilance Organization to General Administration Department has established that Khayali Ram was not the genuine allotee of the said land while Subhash Choudhary (Director Satyam Resorts) has got allotment on production of fake allotment order and by forging revenue records. The report further mentioned that leaving State land un-demarcated for years together by the JDA and Revenue authorities has facilitated encroachers to occupy illegally the State land thereby unveiling the intention of involved officials of JDA and revenue department, who instead of securing the Government property have paved the way for land grabbers to sale out state land in connivance with each other resulting in huge financial loss to the state exchequer.
The JDA, meanwhile, has been directed not to take refuge under the pretext of Revenue Department not having handed over the State land to the authority as the Government order of 1973 and 2004 implies that after the transfer of all State land, the JDA is deemed to be the owner and custodian of the said state land so transferred and, therefore, has to devise measures to protect it against encroachment. Wherever, the JDA is not clear about the status of land reported or alleged to be under the illegal occupation of any person or authority, it can seek assistance of revenue department for demarcation, but cannot refuse to act solely on the ground that the said land has not been handed over to the Authority by the revenue department, the Commission said.
The Commission observed that it is the legitimate duty of JDA to get all State land demarcated in Jammu wherever they are not clear about its status and secure it from any encroachment by land mafia groups and land grabbers.