Bashir Assad
Srinagar, Oct 4: Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Akbar Lone while taking a strong note of incomplete reply furnished to a question on State land encroachment, today deferred the question with the directions to the Revenue Minister to come-out with detailed and specific reply on involvement of politicians and bureaucrats in State land grabbing.
The directions from the chair came when PDP legislator Ch. Zulfikar Ali was not satisfied with the reply to a question tabled by him seeking information on state land illegally encroached upon in the State and the details of politicians, civil and police officers against whom the encroachment cases are pending disposal in Judicial and revenue courts. While endorsing the view point of Ch. Zulfikar, the Speaker deferred the question asking the Government to come up with detailed reply on whether there are any cases pending disposal before the designated courts against politicians, civil and police officers, if any, involved in encroachment of State land across the State.
Minister of State for Haj and Auqaf, Aijaz Ahmad Khan who was replying to the question on behalf of the Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla who was not present in the House, while replying to a supplementary of Zulfikar could neither convince the mover nor the Speaker.
While endorsing Zulfikar's point Speaker observed, "you have other agencies available with you, you can get it enquired by them and come up with specific details. Aijaz Khan, however, tried to convince the chair but his reply was totally unconvincing forcing the chair to pass directions.
"Let us make it clear in the House as who is the encroacher, I defer this question with the directions that the Minister should come up with specific reply to the question during this session only," lone observed.
Pertinently Ch. Zulfikar has sought detailed information about politicians, civil and police officers against whom cases are pending in designated courts for encroaching upon the State land. Interestingly, it was absolutely a triangular affair between Zulfikar, Aijaz Khan and the Speaker and no other Member or Minister sitting in the House did not even utter a single word on the question.
District-wise details of State land under illegal occupation given by the Revenue Department suggest that 33710 Kanals in Anantnag district, 46188 Kanals in Budgam, 46920 Kanals in Bandipora, 55325 kanals in Kupwara, 41011 kanals in Pulwama, 14537 Kanals in Kulgam, 24533 kanals in Ganderbal, 90244 kanals in Baramulla, 42977 kanals in Srinagar, 34297 in Shopian, 392155 kanals in Rajouri, 109628 in Ramban, 155126 kanals in Reasi, 97113 in Samba, 32971 kanals in Udhampur, 28537 Kanals in Doda, 118237 kanals in Poonch, 27016 kanals in Jammu and 34299 kanals are illegally occupied by the occupants. |
