Revenue officials make mockery of Distress Sales Act

KPs property become a free for all affair

JAMMU, May 17: With authorities maintaining no check on encroachments, illegal sale and trespassing by throwing the Distress Sale Act to winds, the migrants property has become a free for all affair in Kashmir valley.

According to sources in many parts of the Kashmir valley the officials of the Revenue department which has been declared as the custodian of this property are in league with the anti-social elements who have forcibly occupied the migrants property. Surprisingly at various places these officials instead of initiating action against the trespassers have made mutations in revenue records by changing their entire nomenclature, the sources added.

Though a large number of such cases have come to light but the authorities till date have failed to take action against the officials responsible for tampering the revenue records, the sources confirmed.

The sources said in Anantnag district alone where the government has identified some localities for the rehabilitation of the displaced people, hundreds of migrants houses and shops have been illegally occupied by the anti-social elements. Emboldened by the militancy and moral support provided by some officials in the Revenue Department hundreds of kanals of the migrants land under paddy fields and orchards is also under the forcible occupation of these elements.

Besides approaching the Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, in various cases the mimgrants have also served the legal notices to the illegal occupants of their property seeking its restoration. But enjoying the official patronage the encroachers are reluctant to vacate the property.

The sources said this has happened despite the repeated assurances given by the Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister, Mr Abdul Qayoom on the floor of State Assembly and outside it.

The Anantnag district is not the only exception but the trespassing has been made in all the six districts of Kashmir valley, the sources said, adding some elements are even seeking the help of the touts at Jammu in grabbing the migrant property.

These touts in open violation of the Distress Sale Act are fixing the deeds between the parties by taking huge commission and after seeking documents withhold the payments.

This has become a scandalous issue and presently hundreds of displaced families are fighting legal wrangles for restoration of their properties after falling in the trap of these touts, the sources maintained.

Giving more details the sources said in many villages of Pulwama district the revenue officials after taking hefty sums from the land grabbers have mutated the records in their favour. Such cases have surfaced from Shopian Batpora and Wasavhall villages of this district.

In Janglat Mandi Anantnag the houses belonging to Keshav Nath and Gopi Nath Rishi have been forcibly occupied by some locals over two years back. Such is the high handedness of these illegal occupants that Gopinath’s House has been converted into a confectionery.

In the same Mohalla five shops belonging to Radha Krishan Rishi have also been occupied by some locals.

In Handoo Mohalla which also falls in the vicinity of the Janglat Mandi number of residential houses of Kashmiri Pandits have been forcibly occupied by land grabbers.

Though these migrants have made a number of representations to the concerned district authorities for restoration of their property but to no avail.

In village Zablipora of tehsil Kulgam in Anantnag district one kanal and 10 marlas of prime land belonging to one Prithvi Nath son of Amarchand has been sold by his relatives without his knowledge some time back. Though Deputy Commissioner Anantnag who under the Distress Sale Act is fully empowered to declared the sale deed nul and void has till date not initiated any action in the matter despite being approached by the land owner.

In Wasavhall village of Shopian tehsil of Pulwama district 19 kanals of agriculture and horticulture land belonging to Dina Nath son of Tika Ram has been illegally occupied by some people from a near by village.

Though the Revenue authorities of the district are ceased of the matter but till date they have made no attempt to restore the land alleged Dina Nath, adding out of 19 kanals six have been occupied by Gh. Hassan Bhat of Baskuchan, 10 by Khalil Rather of Imam Sahib and three by Mohammad Abdullah Bhat also of Baskuchan. While in village Baskuchan agriculture land of Chooni Lal presently a migrant at Jammu has been illegally occupied by Abdul Ahad Bhat of the same village.

The sources said that people have been so emboldened due to inaction of the authorities that in village Mahend of Anantnag district a local chowkidar who is supposed to be the custodian of the villages property has grabbed the orchard of one Kashi Nath Wachhi. The land is presently cultivated by the chowkidar who is enjoying the full patronage of Revenue Department and police.

At Kani Mohalla Rainawari in Srinagar district the residential house belonging to one Sushil Kumar son of Radha Krishan is also under the illegal occupation of some locals while in village Pehru the locals people have constructed a road from the compound of Radha Krishan.

At village Nunar in Gandherbal tehsil of Srinagar district, over 100 kanals of agriculture land belonging to the Kashmiri Pandits has been grabbed by some goons of the surrounding villages.

The matter has even been brought in the notice of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah by the displaced Kashmiri Pandits here but despite his categorical instructions the administration has failed to maintain the status quo of this property.