Policy in offing to retrieve state's encroached land: J-K min

The Jammu and Kashmir government today said that they would formulate a comprehensive policy to retrieve the encroached state and Kahcharai land.
Replying to a question by Surinder Mohan Ambardar in the state Legislative Council, Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Syed Basharat Bukhari said 67,544 kanals of Kahcharai land in various districts are under unauthorized occupation.
Though the eviction of unauthorised land is a continuous process but due to prevailing situation in the state, especially in Kashmir Valley, the work for retrieving of encroached land was halted to some extent, he said.
The minister asserted that formulation of a comprehensive policy for eviction of the encroached land is necessary and very soon this policy would be framed, under which strict action would be taken against the encroachers.

Bhukhari said that utmost priority of the state government is to retrieve all encroached land, whether the state's or Kahcharai, and that it would be utilised for developing public infrastructure besides other welfare activities.
He said the list of individual occupants of the land being voluminous is being compiled and can be provided to the members separately.

The field officials of the department are under explicit instructions to take effective steps for eviction of unauthorized occupation upon Kahcharai land, he added.
Bhukhari said the government has taken necessary measures to retrieve the state/common land from the encroachers and illegal occupants by impressing upon all subordinate field functionaries in accordance with various laws in force.

MLCs Javaid Ahmad Mirchal, Yasir Reshi, Saif-ud-Din Bhat and Ajat Shatru Singh raised supplementary questions.