J-K govt directs SDMs to complete demarcation of JDA land

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government todaydirected the Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDM) to ensure completion of demarcation process of the JDA lands and submit details about their status.

As many as 1,510 acres of land in Jammu city has been encroached as it admitted that the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) is yet to demarcate 6,818 acres of land, meant for development given to it in 1973.

Deputy Commissioner Jammu Kumar Rajeev Ranjandirected the SDMs to submit details about the status of the JDA land andensure completion of demarcation process of the same at the earliest, an official spokesperson said.

“SDMs were directed to provide the demarcation by painted marks in blue colour,” the spokesperson said.

Ranjan further directed them to hold a weekly meeting with the revenue field staff.

“It was informed that out of 83 villages, the demarcation process has been completed in 33 villages,” the spokesperson said.

Ranjan convened a meeting with the SDMs besides other senior functionaries to discuss vital revenue-related issues.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which is monitoring the encroachment drive against land-grabbers in thousand areas of land in Jammu city, pulled up the JDA last month for delay in the removal of the encroachments on over thousands of acres of land in Jammu.

They have also sought record about lands which have been seized from land-grabbers and encroaches.

The J-K government transferred 9,479 acres of land to the JDA for development since 1973 and out of which 6,818 acres of land has not been demarcated, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Asiea Naqash hadsaid in January this year.

Total land demarcated by the JDA since 1973 is only 2,245 acres and out which 330 acres has been encroached.

Similarly, 1,510 acre has been encroached in Jammu belonging to the JDA, the minister said, adding that 223 acres of land (out of the total 9,479 acres) is in possession of Jammu while 1,111 acres has been utilised by the JDA, 93 acres of land regularised.

However, as compared to the massive encroachment of land in Jammu belonging to the JDA, over 18 acres of land in Srinagar was under encroachment despite militancy.

Naqash said 3,884 kanals (485 acres) of the JDA land has been retrieved till date out of the encroached 12,083 kanals (1510 acres) in Jammu.

She informed that around 4,245 cases are pending disposal.

PTI