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| CS report gives clean chit to PDP leaders in Marhama land scam | | | Bashir Assad
Srinagar, Aug 30: Though the Marhama wetland issue continued to rock both houses of the J&K Legislature on the third consecutive day on Saturday, the report submitted by the chief secretary, however, has exonerated the leaders of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni, from the charges of land grabbing.
"The particular persons against whom allegations have been leveled have not encroached on any state land," the report by the Revenue Department, submitted in the Legislative Council by Chief Secretary Iqbal Khandey said. The Chief Secretary was directed by the Chairman, Legislative Council, Amrit Malhotra on Thursday to ascertain the facts and submit a report after allegations of land grabbing against PDP leaders were leveled by ruling National Conference (NC) MLC Bashir Veeri. Veeri alleged that a PDP leader had grabbed over 200 hectares of state land in Marhama area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district. He also alleged that names of Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had also figured in the case.
The report said the land in question measuring 89 kanals and 18 marlas was a proprietary land and had been transferred to some persons by the locals of Marhama in 2010.
No land by the persons, against whom allegations have been leveled, has been encroached as no such land is available within a radius of around 150 metres from immediate periphery of the said land, it said. The report said the allegations of encroaching 4,000 kanals of land does not seem to be based on facts but are rumors. "The details provided by the field staff clearly reveal that more than 400 families of the said village and the adjoining village are in possession of the state land," it said. The report further said no permission for conversion of land from agricultural to non-agricultural activity has ever been granted by the revenue department.
"The communication which the member (Veeri) has referred to is in fact with regard to the upgradation of the soil for making it fit for agricultural activity only," the report said. It said the deputy commissioner, Anantnag has been directed to ensure that no violation takes place and ensure the land is exclusively used for agriculture purposes only. Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly speaker Mubarak Gul has also directed the Crime Branch to investigate the allegations of land grabbing. |
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