Tag: Encroachment

Encroachments: Bulldozers Continue Rolling in Kashmir and Jammu

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SRINAGAR: The demolition drive has picked its pace in Srinagar and Jammu. There were scores of spots where the revenue officials, cops and bulldozers remained active for part of the two.
For different reasons, the two spots proved to be very distinct.
Malik Market
In Jammu’s Malik Market where the MG Hactor showroom is built on a piece of state land, at least four bulldozers came and started demolishing it. They damaged the frontal facade and part of the basement as hundreds of people were watching.
All of a sudden, the people of the area got furious and they reacted. They resorted to stone pelting as a result of which the demolition squad left the machinery behind and fled. It was a brief spell, however.
The showroom owner, Ghulam Mohammad Baig, a resident of Srinagar, has said that he has purchased the land in 1990 and he has papers. One report said he is willing to offer land in exchange so that his more than Rs 2.5 crore investment survives unscathed.
The demolition came against the background of continued protests by the inhabitants of the Sunjwan and Bathindi area of Jammu where at least six residents have received notices that they have constructed their homes on state land. A protest was also reported from the Sidhra area.

Reports reaching from Jammu said that the twin localities shut down normal life for almost four days. Though the government has been conveying that the drive is against the influentials only, the residents seemingly are unwilling to believe. Those who have got notices include at least three individuals having some political connection.
In Jammu, the authorities have already retrieved land from BJPs Kavinder Gupta, DDC Chairman from Kathua, and a former minister – all from BJP, and lot many have received notices including a few from Apani Party.
Padshahi Bagh
There were very disturbing visuals coming from Padshahi Bagh where an old woman was pleading that her relative’s property may not be damaged because he is a very poor man. Some people even said the property that was damaged is owned and there are documents to prove that. Residents claimed they received no notice and the bulldozer’s arrival was a shocking surprise.
A group of women attempting to block the bulldozer from demolition the space, they call ‘home’. The area witnessed an early morning demolition drive on February 4, 2023. KL Image: Special Arrangement
Besides, there was a man – apparently, a non-native, who was crying claiming he has been living on the spot for 20 years and had never been touched. He claimed he received no notice so that he could have arranged some alternative. It was not immediately known to which place he belonged.
There was a very disturbing visual showing two small girls crying near the bulldozers in a tight embrace. It was not immediately known whether they belonged to the native or the non-native.
Other Spots
The demolitions are taking place at such a scale that is impossible to report every single act. It is happening in all the districts.
Near Srinagar’s RTO office, authorities sealed a 4-storey complex but the owner; a lawyer briefed the media and showed his ownership details and the amount that SMC has already received more than 15 years ago. He also talked about the division bench’s direction that the property should not be touched at all. Besides, he claimed he has building permission as well. Barring the construction costs, he gave details of payments worth Rs 60 lakhs that different government agencies have already received.
The bulldozers remained active in Humhama where the outer compound wall of a former DC Budgam was demolished. This is the most prized housing settlement in Srinagar, perhaps the only one that is not served by any public transport service. Today’s demolition in the area was a follow-up to an earlier operation in which a police officer’s encroachments were retrieved.
Bulldozer was also found operating in the Nishat area where a lawyer – a relative of a politician, lives and her compound wall was destroyed. Authorities later raised a board saying it is state land.
Ghulam Nabi Azad had a meeting with Home Minister, Amit Shah in which the issue was raised. A day later, LG Manoj Sinha flew to Delhi and returned to Jammu the same day. Later that evening he told a gathering that the operation of retrieving the state land will continue.
The government has earlier said that they have retrieved more than 600 thousand kanals of land that was encroached upon across Jammu and Kashmir. The operation is likely to continue and intensify in the coming days.

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#Encroachments #Bulldozers #Continue #Rolling #Kashmir #Jammu
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 4, 2023
J&K: Spare poor from encroachment drives, appeals Ghulam Nabi Azad

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Srinagar: Democratic Azad Party (DAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad Saturday demanded a formal order from the Raj Bhavan to spare the poor in the ongoing anti-encroachment drive.
He also announced his party was putting on hold its proposed UT-wide agitation against evictions as he has been given assurances the poor will not be evicted.
“I met Union Home minister Amit Shah and requested him that poor people should not be evicted from their houses, or poor shopkeepers from their shops through which they earn their livelihoods. The J-K LG has also given a statement that the poor will be spared. So, we have decided to postpone our agitation on their assurances,” Azad said, addressing his party workers at Sonwar here.
Since the eviction notice came, many political parties issued statements but none came out on the roads to protest. “I am proud of my party and my party colleagues that they protested across J-K.”
Earlier in the day, his party members took out a protest march from the party office at Sonwar and blocked the main road near Sonwar Chowk. They demanded a rollback of the eviction order.
Welcoming the statement by J-K LG, Azad said it cannot be any government’s policy to make its own people homeless. “Most of these people are poor. There are 50-60 lakh households, which is half of our population. It cannot be a policy of any government to make people homeless,” the former Congress general secretary said.
He said conflicting statements by the J-K administration have created confusion, and therefore the Raj Bhavan should issue a formal order making it clear that poor people and small shopkeepers will not be evicted.
“A written order from the Raj Bhavan should be issued which notifies how much land a person should have under his possession which can be spared. I think 99 percent of the people will come under that ambit,” he added.

He said lakhs of canals of land are illegally occupied in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, and the government provides them electricity, water, roads, schools, and hospitals.
Whichever party is in power be it Congress, or the BJP, or the AAP, their biggest poll promise is regularisation of such land, he said.
“If it can happen to the costliest land in the country, then why not in J-K, the former J-K chief minister said.
The DAP chairman said his party was not in favor of the illegal occupation of government land by rich and influential people. But there should not pick and choose while dealing with the big fishes, he said, adding, influential people from any political party, “even from mine”, should not be spared.
He said some people with as little as one or two marlas of land have also got notices. “Such people have small shops on that to sustain their life. They are not businessmen like Ambani or Adani.”
“I respect both of them as they have played a role in the country’s economy, in giving employment. I took their names only to make a point that there are no businessmen like them. We have very small businessmen who earn their livelihood for their sustenance,” he said.
He said this government has done a lot of good things, but “I do not understand, why they are trying to put water, through the land issue, over their good deeds”.
Asked about a reported J-K chief secretary directive to officers to check if anybody making negative statements on the anti-encroachment drive has himself or herself encroached upon government land, Azad said no one can be stopped from making any statements in a democracy.
“No one can suppress the voice of the people,” he added.
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#Spare #poor #encroachment #drives #appeals #Ghulam #Nabi #Azad
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 4, 2023
Anti Encroachment Drive Pro-People: CS

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SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today remarked that the encroached State land is being retrieved from the big vested interests only with the purpose of reverting it back for public use.
He was speaking in a meeting of UT, Divisional and District Administration to take stock of measures being taken to streamline the anti-encroachment drive.
Dr Mehta maintained that these measures are aimed at helping common people. He observed that this land belongs collectively to the masses and retrieved land shall be used for the benefit of all of them. He stated that no person has any legal right to usurp the rights of commoners.
The Chief Secretary further pointed out that such measures should be supported by the public as the retrieved and shall be used for public utility such as hospitals, schools, play grounds, bus stands, Industries, parking spaces etc. It shall accelerate all round development in J&K.
The Chief Secretary directed the Deputy Commissioners to safeguard the habitations and livelihoods of poor and downtrodden. He enjoined upon them to develop DPRs for carrying out developmental works on such lands at the earliest so that fruits of these efforts reach the masses.
He stated that some people are voluntarily giving up the encroached lands. He told them to set an example for others and give in writing their testimonies.
The Chief Secretary also directed the IT Department to create a dedicated portal for reflecting the actual quantum of State/ Kacharie/Common land retrieved in all the districts is put in public domain for their information. He advised the Revenue Department to carryout Geo-referencing of these public assets so that the same is preserved for the public without ambiguity.

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#Anti #Encroachment #Drive #ProPeople
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 2, 2023
In Samba, Land Retrieved From Former Officers

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SRINAGAR: Continuing the anti-encroachment drive, district administration Samba today retrieved 5 kanal and 13 marla prime land in Bari-Brahmana near Industrial estate, having market value worth crores.
The revenue officers informed that the anti-encroachment drive was carried to reclaim state land in possession of a former Bureaucrat and wife of a retired Executive Engineer.
During the anti-encroachment drive JCB machines were deployed to dismantle the boundary walls and other RCC structures erected on the site.
The land was retrieved and notice boards indicating the status of land as state property was installed on the site.
As per the concerned authorities several influential encroachers have been identified and the drive will continue to reclaim the occupied land.

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#Samba #Land #Retrieved #Officers
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 2, 2023
World Wetland Day: Encroachment, pollution, poaching major challenges, says Wildlife Dept

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Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Feb 02: Wetlands aren’t wasteland but biodiversity hotspots which provide habitat for countless plants and animals and there is a need to preserve them for future generations, Wildlife department officials said on Thursday.
Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that the Wetlands are important because they protect and improve water quality, provide fish and wildlife habitats, store floodwaters and maintain surface water flow during dry periods.
“Wetlands are unique, productive ecosystems where terrestrial and aquatic habitats meet. Wetlands play a critical role in maintaining many natural cycles and supporting a wide range of biodiversity. They serve as a natural sponge against flooding and drought, protect our coastlines and help fight climate change,” they said.
Wetland performs numerous valuable functions such as recycle nutrients, purify water, attenuate floods, recharge ground water and also serves in providing drinking water, fish, fodder, fuels, wildlife habitat, control rate of runoff in urban areas, buffer shorelines against erosion and recreation to society, they said.
They said that there is a need to reduce, reuse, and recycle your waste and trash as protecting the environment helps protect the wetlands, especially since trash can make its way into the water and the best and easiest way to protect the environment is by limiting your household waste.
Ifshan Dewan Wildlife warden wetlands (Kashmir) while talking with KNO said that most people think that wetlands are wastelands but they must know wetlands are biodiversity hotspots.
She said that Water bodies are the most productive ecosystem and there is a need to protect and restore them, that is why this day is being observed to create awareness among the public.

She said that the basic challenges before them are to save these wetlands from encroachment mainly in urban areas, throwing of solid waste in them, silt and poaching.
“Besides the sanitation and dwelling are challenges as almost every wetland in J&K is full of silt,” Ifshan said.
She added that people must understand that poaching is a prohibited activity as poaching incidents are coming to fore and recently seven poaching guns were recovered from them.
Ifshan said that around a lakh birds are present in Hokersar and other nearby wetlands which includes some new species like long tailed duck and few species of Reed Bunting bird as well which were seen for the first time after several years.
She said that around 3000 kanals of wetland were freed from the public after one time amnesty to cut down trees was given to them due to which bird population has increased.
Efforts are on to restore channels used for navigation which were blocked and so far two have been restored while work is going on to restore others as well.
She requested people to cooperate in restoring wetlands as migratory birds are our guests and we must work together to protect them—(KNO)
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#World #Wetland #Day #Encroachment #pollution #poaching #major #challenges #Wildlife #Dept
( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

February 2, 2023
Encroachment Drive Another UAPA For J&K People, Alleges Mehbooba

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SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that the encroachment drive launched by the government is another UAPA for the people in Jammu & Kashmir, terming the step a part of corruption practice as under the influence of this drive, the government wants money from rich and vote from the poor.
Addressing a news conference here, the former chief minister said that the drive to retrieve the land is being used as a weapon against the people of J&K to uproot them, suppress and harass them and also make them homeless. “It is another UAPA for the people, otherwise China has encroached our 20000 sq km land, if the government is serious then let the encroached land be retrieved from China first,” she said.
Quoting Mehbooba news agency KNO reported that there are some people who possess the land since Maharajas rule and their land properties are also being demolished, adding that first the government created rift between the religious communities and now it is making attempts to create a rift between poor and rich class through this drive.
However, she said that such measures cannot be stopped until and unless the people from J&K and Ladakh are not united. “The people here in Kashmir are not being allowed to hit the streets.
The people were even trying to participate in Bharat Jodo Yatra in large number, but they were not allowed. The government has created a situation where the people are not being allowed to come out. The people of Ladakh have united, but until and unless Jammu’s Dogra and Kashmiri people don’t get united, these measures cannot be stopped,” she said.
“Jammu people reacted yesterday, but people in Kashmir can’t do so as there is NIA, ED and other agencies behind Kashmir. How would it be possible that the people will come out to react over the issue,” she said, adding that these drives are part of a massive corruption here as they want to get money from the rich and vote from the poor. “The poor are being asked to vote against their land and the rich are being asked to meet some officials in this regard,” she said.
Mehbooba also said that if the government is serious in retrieving the land; let it start from Governor House, B B Cant here.
Asked about the budget presented today in parliament, Mehbooba said that there was nothing new in today’s budget as the financial plan by the incumbent government is being made for the benefits of some capitals and businessmen. “The taxes being collected should have been used for the welfare of people, but the budget is being made for some businessmen only. The situation is such that the poor are getting poorer, the free ration quantity has been reduced to four kilograms,” she added.

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#Encroachment #Drive #UAPA #People #Alleges #Mehbooba
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 2, 2023
Encroachment Drive In J&K: Structure Raised By Wife Of Ali Mohammad Sagar Demolished At Humhama – Kashmir News

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Budgam, Jan 25: A concrete structure raised by wife of Ali Mohammad Sagar, National Conference General Secretary, at Humhuma in this central Kashmir district, has been demolished during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.
They told GNS that a team of revenue department alongside law enforcement agencies reached the site at Airport road Humhama this afternoon and razed it to ground.
The structure, they said, was raised on the state land occupied by the Sagar’s wife adjacent to her house which is on the proprietary land. “Apparently the concrete structure was being used as a guard room for the security personnel,” they added.
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#Encroachment #Drive #Structure #Raised #Wife #Ali #Mohammad #Sagar #Demolished #Humhama #Kashmir #News
( With inputs from : kashmirnews.in )

January 25, 2023