Finally, Revenue Deptt issues schedule for demarcation of over 41,000 kanals land

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 9: After being pulled up by the High Court, the Revenue Department has issued village-wise schedule for demarcation of over 41,000 kanals of State and Nazool land, which was transferred to Jammu Development Authority more than 40 years back. The Department has also admitted that its concerned authorities did not follow the due procedure while making entries in the Girdawari Registers, which led to lot of confusion and disputes.
The Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Tashi Rabstan in its last order had directed the Revenue Department and the Jammu Development Authority to file the latest status report vis-à-vis demarcation of over 66,000 kanals of State and Nazool land transferred to JDA Vide different Government orders including Government Order No. Rev (NDJ) 46 of 1973 dated January 28, 1973. The DB had also remarked that the Revenue Department was only entering into superficial correspondence with the JDA.
In compliance to this direction, the Revenue Department has submitted a detailed status report highlighting various aspects besides furnishing the schedule for demarcation of over 41,000 kanals out of 66,000 kanals of land.
Stating that issue of demarcation of JDA land is complicated and needs to be looked afresh on case to case basis, the Revenue Department said, “a period of more than 40 years has lapsed after the passing of Government order No. 46 of 1973 as well 10 years have been lapsed after passing of Roshni order and no report is forthcoming showing that any detailed survey was conducted either by the Revenue Department or by the JDA”.
“Revenue staff has merely entered the name as JDA in Girdawari Registers without following the due procedure and this resulted into lot of confusion and disputes”, the status report filed in Public Interest Litigation titled Prof S K Bhalla Versus State of J&K and Others.
Submitting that village-wise demarcation schedule of over 41000 kanals of land has been issued, the report said, “the exercise will be started immediately after completion of election process as entire staff of Revenue Department is engaged to conduct free and fair poll in Jammu district”, adding “Deputy Commissioner will take steps so that exercise of demarcation is completed in the time bound schedule”.
On the other side, the Jammu Development Authority has stressed that the demarcation should be made at the earliest so that JDA can utilize its land in a planned manner for developing the same for general public. “Further undue delay will only encourage the encroachers and unlawful elements, who are trying to usurp the State property depriving the common masses of its benefit”, the JDA said.
JDA has also identified 10 prime locations, which are most prone to encroachment and stressed that these locations need to be factored in the demarcation schedule. The JDA has also stressed that video-graphy of whole event and collective signature of all the officers on the demarcation report shall be ensured so that no problem crops up in future.
According to the schedule prepared by the Revenue Department, demarcation of land in Mandal Niabat and Tehsil would be conducted from December 26, 2014 to March 31, 2015. Similarly, demarcation in Satwari and Digiana Niabats in Jammu South tehsil would be conducted from December 26, 2014 to April 10, 2015.
Likewise, demarcation in Bahu and Rakh Bahu Niabats of Bahu tehsil would be conducted from December 26, 2014 to April 20, 2015. The demarcation in Kattal Battal and Nagrota Niabats of Nagrota tehsil would be conducted from December 26, 2014 to April 30, 2015. Similarly, demarcation in Sidhra Bajalta Niabat of Jammu tehsil would be conducted from December 26, 2014 to April 25, 2015.
Under this schedule, demarcation of a total of 41,073 kanals and 09 marlas of land in 49 villages would be completed by ending April 2015.
It is pertinent to mention here that the issue of demarcation of over 66,000 kanals of State and Nazool land transferred to JDA Vide different Government orders including Government Order No. Rev (NDJ) 46 of 1973 dated January 28, 1973, was exclusively highlighted by EXCELSIOR in its edition dated April 13, 2014 following which a Public Interest Litigation came to be filed in the State High Court seeking direction for prompt demarcation.
The PIL is listed before the Division Bench of State High Court tomorrow.

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