JK govt undertakes massive anti-encroachment drive

In a massive crackdown on landmafia, the Jammu and Kashmir government today raised to ground 82 concrete structuresand removed encroachments on over 125 acres of state-owned landin the city outskirts.
The exercise also left 14 policemen including two officers injured.
Led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Jammu), Arun Manhas, teams of forest department, Jammu Development Authority(JDA) and a police contingent began the anti-encroachmentdrive in Dwara area along the banks of river Tawi this morning, police said.
The team faced heavy stone pelting by encroachers and their supporters, wherein 14 police personnel, including a Sub Inspector (SI) and Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI), were injured, Manhas said.

The joint team of police, revenue and forest departments facedstiff resistance during the eviction, but we were able to retrieve forest land by demolishing 82 concrete structures and RCC plinths, he said.
"The operation was successfully completed, and about125 acres of forest land and the JDA land adjacent tothe city on the banks of river Tawi, worth crores ofrupees was retrieved from the clutches of encroachers," A D Singh, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jammu, said.

"The encroachers are hell bent upon usurping the forest land, but our field staff are vigil andare on the job to remove the encroachment and prevent the same in the future," hesaid.

The massive crackdown was carried out in compliance to the directions of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
The court had pulled up the Jammu Development Authority and the revenue department for repeated massive encroachment of state land.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had also rapped the JDA for failing to retrieve Rs 147 crore worth prime property, including allotment of Rs 116 crore land to a non-state subject in Jammu, during the last 14 years.