JDA to evict land grabbers from Rs 150 Cr Prime land in Jammu

Under pressure from Jammu and Kashmir High Court to remove massive encroachments from prime Gole Gujaral land costing around Rs 150 Crores, Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has begun the process for eviction of land grabbers by issuing final notices to encroachers.

The encroachers are given final opportunity to remove the encroachments on their own and take away their belongings, failing which JDA will proceed to remove the encroachments in the light of High Court without any further notice, Vice Chairperson, JDA Sushma Chowhan said in a notice to the encroachers.

The notice has been given to 76 land grabbers under section 7 of Public Premises Eviction of unauthorised Occupant Act, as earlier notice period expires on April 15 this year, she said.

On March 20, Jammu and Kashmir High Court pulled Jammu Development Authority (JDA) for massive land grabbing and directed the Authority to remove encroachments from nearly 170 Kanals of prime Gole Gujaral land costing around Rs 150 Crores in Jammu city as JDA admitted that its prime area is under encroachment.

Division Bench of High Court comprising Justice Virender Singh and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar in order had directed the present Vice-Chairperson of the JDA Sushma Chouhan to immediately initiate steps for evicting the encroachers of 169 kanal and 7 marla of JDA land in village Gole of Jammu city.

Pulling JDA authorities for turning a blind eye towards unauthorised occupation of Rs 150 Crores prime land by land mafia, The Double Bench also directed all the authorities and officers presently working in the JDA and Chief Khilafwarzi Officers, who continue to be posted in JDA for the last 10 years, to disclose their movable and immovable properties within one week.

They have also been restrained from creating any third party interest in their properties.