Sukhnandan welcomes over 9 kanals land allotment to SOG near Nikki Tawi, seeks eviction of all adjoining encroachers

JAMMU: Former Minister and senior BJP leader Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar has welcomed the allotment of 9 kanal and 15 marlas of State land to the Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K Police, near Nikki Tawi, but has demanded that the Government simultaneously reclaim the entire adjoining State land in the same area allegedly under encroachment in Jammu Khas.

Sukhnandan Choudhary, accompanied by J&K BJP Media Incharge Dr. Pardeep Mahotra, former DDC Balbir Lal and the affected person Tarsem, was addressing a press conference at BJP headquarters, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu.

Addressing the press briefing, Sukhnandan said the land allotted to the SOG falls under Khasra Nos. 301, 302 and 303 at Jammu Khas, and termed the Government’s decision a welcome step, particularly as the land would now be utilised for an important Police purpose. However, he said the allotment should also prompt the administration to undertake a comprehensive survey and anti-encroachment operation in the entire vicinity of fourth bridge in Jammu khas.

He claimed that within an area of around 200 metres of the allotted site, nearly 500 kanals of Ghar Mumkin Tawi land is also allegedly under encroachment, with several persons having raised huge bungalows and other permanent structures on Government land, including portions falling under the same Khasra numbers. Sukhnandan said the mutation concerning the land had earlier been cancelled by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, but despite this, huge illegal constructions were allegedly raised by encroachers in the area.

He questioned why action was being taken against a person who, according to him, had been cultivating the land, had not sold it and had helped keep the Government land protected, while large-scale encroachments and costly constructions allegedly continued in the same vicinity. “I fully welcome the allotment of 9 kanal and 15 marlas to the SOG, but the Government must also explain why the other huge encroachments in the same area have not been removed. If the land is State property, then every inch of it has to be protected and reclaimed,” he said.

He demanded a fresh physical demarcation of Khasra Nos. 301, 302 and 303, along with the adjoining State and Ghar Mumkin Tawi land, and sought identification of every encroacher and structure raised there. He also called for verification of revenue records, mutations and registration documents to ascertain whether any portion of Government land had allegedly been sold or transferred illegally. “Huge bungalows have been constructed on the spot under the same Khasra numbers. The administration must find out how such constructions were allowed to come up and who was responsible for protecting Government land,” he said.

Appealing to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to personally intervene, Sukhnandan urged him to direct the Revenue Department and other concerned agencies to launch a time-bound and comprehensive anti-encroachment drive in the entire area. He stressed that the exercise should not be confined to the 9 kanal and 15 marlas allotted to the SOG, but should cover the entire adjoining State land allegedly encroached upon over the years. “There should be no selective action. If a farmer is asked to vacate Government land, then those who have occupied large chunks of State land and constructed huge bungalows must also be removed.

The law must be equal for everyone,” he said. Sukhnandan said valuable State land could not be allowed to become private property through encroachment or alleged illegal transactions and urged the administration to reclaim, demarcate and secure the entire land before it is further encroached upon. “The allotment to SOG is a welcome decision; now let the Government make it a beginning for reclaiming the entire encroached State land in the area,” he added.