Riyaz ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Saturday revealed that a total of 1641544 kanals of state land has been illegally encroached across state.
Out of 1641544 kanals of state lend encroached, Jammu tops with 12, 68, 928 kanals. Only 372616 kanals of state land is illegally encroached in Kashmir.
This information was revealed by government in Legislative Council in reply to a clubbed question by MLCs Sofi Yousuf, Vibodh Gupta, Ashok Khajuria, Charanjeet Singh and Gh Nabi Monga.
The government further said a total of 8625.63 hectares of forest land is illegally occupied in Jammu division while only 3404.86 hectares of such land is under illegal occupation in Kashmir valley.
Notably, the eviction of people of a particular community had invited sharp reaction to then Forest Minister Bali Bhagat in Jammu division.
In response to another question, the government said that a total of 330.86 hectares of forest land is under illegal occupation at four tourist destinations.
It said 33.83 hectares of forest land is under illegal occupation at Pahalgam; 16.30 hectares at Aharbal; 280.70 at Kokernag; 0.05 hectares at Gulmarg. No forest land is under illegal occupation in Sonamarg, the reply stated.
The government asserted that it has been taking “effective” steps to retrieve the encroached land. “961.25 hectares of forest land was retrieved in 2015-16,” the government said.
Fourteen FIRs in Kashmir and seven in Jammu have been lodged in 201-16 against those persons who obstructed the eviction of such land, the government said.
The reply further reveals that Congressman Taj Mohi Din has encroached upon 26.20 kanals of forest land in compartment V-4c Sedev in South Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Similarly, incumbent Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Minister, Ab Gani Kohli, has constructed an educational institution on 2 kanals of forest land.
Further, the reply reveals that six hotels at Patnitop namely Hotel Pine View, Hotel Mount Shivalik, Hotel Subash Palace, Hotel Sushant, Hotel Green Top and Hotel Forest View occupy 2 marlas; 1 Kanal 9 marlas; road leading to hotel; 360 sq ft; 2268 sq ft& 1415 sq ft; 1-2 marlas under road illegally occupy forest land, respectively. The Hotel Khyber Resorts in Gulmarg has encroached one kanal of forest land in compartment Gul/39.
In another response to MLC Vikramaditya Singh, the government said that 4703 kanals and 06 marlas out of total 6279 kanals 08 marlas of state land have been encroached in Birpur in tehsil Baribrahmanaa Jammu.
