Custodian’s 58,000 Kanals Garner Attention
Will not run bulldozers over properties: Custodian Kashmir
Abrar Mattoo
SRINAGAR, Feb 16: Amid the anti-encroachment drive, the 58,000 Kanals of prime land lying with the Custodian Evacuee Property Department, Kashmir, in the ten districts of the valley have garnered attention, due to which, questions are being raised whether the bulldozers will be run over the encroachments on custodian land as well.
Speaking with Kashmir Despatch, Custodian Kashmir, Tariq Hussain Naik said that the “rules of the department do not allow us to destroy the property that has been raised on our land. However, we will rather take control of the property that has previously been raised on our notified land and manage it in accordance with the rules.”
Though Jammu Division has nearly fourteen lakh (1411908.05) Kanals of custodian land, the Kashmir Division has only 58,000 Kanals of custodian evacuee land according to the information furnished by the department brass. Out of this, 7000 Kanals are in the direct management of the department, and nearly 10,000 Kanals have been leased to different individuals, departments, and commercial entities. The rest of the land is either unattended or encroached. The major portions of the custodian land lie in the border districts like Bandipora and Kupwara.
The department claims that it has retrieved 5,000 Kanals of prime land in the last two years, which in turn speaks about the scale of encroachment over the custodian evacuee land in Kashmir valley. The department also has a policy to overtake unused land and property. Recently, Custodian Kashmir sealed at least 15 shops at IQ Mall Hyderpora.
“If the property is not being used by the leaseholder for the purpose for which it has been leased to him or her, then the department can take it back,” the Custodian Kashmir added further.
In a clear-cut message to the people, the Custodian said that people should refrain from encroaching on the custodian evacuee land, and “if someone has already encroached over our notified land, the said person should approach the department and within laid rules, the department may regularize the land in their name. This would of course be subjected to the nature of the concerned land.”
However, with assurances being given that builders will not run over the custodian properties and the encroachments will be regularized within set rules, it remains to be seen what will follow concerning the huge quantum of custodian evacuee land in Kashmir valley.
