Srinagar, Jan 20: Continuing its anti-encroachment drive to retrieve the state-owned Kahchari land from the encroachers in District Kupwara, the district administration, on the directions of the Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, launched a major anti-encroachment drive in various parts of the district and retrieved over 4000 kanals of state land worth crores of rupees.
Revenue officers and officials led by district tehsildars conducted an anti-encroachment drive in the Drugmulla, Keran, Villgam, Kralpora, and Sogam and Trehgam districts. According to the official estimate, a significant amount of land was retrieved from Drugmulla, including 276 kanals of a single patch of land and 25 kanals used for commercial purposes.
Tehsildar Kupwara has retrieved 280 kanals of land during the drive to date, which include 205 kanals of Kahcharai Land and 75 kanals of state land. As per Tehsildar Keran, 712 kanals of land have been retrieved in Keran tehsil, which include 617 kanals of state land and 95 kanals of kahcharie land.
As many as 1863 kanals including 758 state land and 1105 kanals kahcharari land have been retrieved from 11th of this month till date, as per the officials. Likewise, in Kralpora Tehsil, as per the concerned Tehsildar, 247 kanals of land have been retrieved in the tehsil, which include 142 kanals of state land and 105 kanals of Kacharie land.
In Sogam and Lalpora tehsils, as reported by their respective tehsildars, 114 kanals and 14 marlas were retrieved from the Dardapora Lolab, 20 kanals from Chandigam, and 20 kanals from Sogam tehsil.
Similarly, 70 kanals of kahcharari/ state land have been retrieved from Trehgam tehsil, 50 kanals in Karnah Tehsil, 46 kanal 15 marlas in Handwara tehsil, 26 kanal 5 marlas in Zachaldara tehsil, 5 kanals in Taratpora tehsil, 80 kanals in Langate, 70 kanals in Qalamabad tehsil and 116 kanals in Qaziabad-kralgund tehsil during the ongoing drive against land encroachers.
The anti-encroachment campaign would continue in all areas of the district, according to Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, in order to reclaim all State and Kahcharai land that has been encroached upon by land speculators. He asked for support from the public in its efforts to stop encroachments and issued a warning about possible legal action under the CrPC in cases of encroachment on state or Cherokee property.
Relevantly, the district administration has issued strict instructions to the tehsildars and enforcement teams to intensify the fight against land encroachments in their respective jurisdictions with greater zeal and commitment in order to recover all state and khacharai land in the district, which can then be used for public purposes.