ABRAR MATTOO
SRINAGAR, Feb 6: Amidst the ongoing anti-encroachment drive to retrieve the state land, especially from the influential land grabbers including political heavyweights and bureaucrats; the president of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) and former MLA, Vikar Rasool Wani has featured in the list of land grabbers in district Ramban’s Banihal tehsil.
Vikar Rasool Wani, 45, who won the legislative elections from Banihal (Ramban) in 2014, hails from a strong political family. His father, Ghulam Rasool Wani, was also an MLA. Currently, there are three sites, measuring 5 Kanals and 5 Marlas under Khasra no. 408, in tehsil Banihal which have been identified as encroached by Mr. Wani and members of his family.
While speaking with Kashmir Despatch, Mr. Wani said that the land has been lying with his family for a very long time—at least 20 years.
“If the government finds that it has been encroached on by my family, the administration is welcome to run a bulldozer over it,” Mr. Wani commented.
Vikar Rasool further said that the land stands currently occupied by some 200 street vendors who are allowed to carry their business without any charge, rent, or fee.
However, upon carrying out verification, well-placed sources revealed to Kashmir Despatch that the piece of land which Mr. Wani mentioned was only one of the three sites that are encroached on by the Wani family. The sources revealed that Vikar and his family members have constructed concrete assets at these two other sites which are in the quantum of 1 Kanals 2 Marla and 3 Marlas, respectively.
While speaking with Kashmir Despatch, the Assistant Commissioner of Revenue in district Ramban, Mr. Gias-ul-Haq said that “the district administration is tirelessly working to recover the encroached land from influential land grabbers.”
Thus far, the district administration in Ramban has recovered nearly 26452 Kanals and 4 Marlas of state land retrieved in the last 15 days. Some of the political heavyweights from who the land has been recovered during the last 15 days include the District President of National Conference Shri Sajad Shaheen from whom 14 Kanals of prime land were recovered and Shri Imtiaz Khanday, acting DDC member, from whom 52 Kanals of state land was recovered.
District Development Commissioner Ramban, Mr. Masrat Ul Islam said the administration is strategizing to recover the encroached State land from all irrespective of their position or access.
