RAJOURI: District Administration Rajouri has retrieved 1020 Kanal encroached land of Animal Husbandry Department in a major anti-encroachment drive here at Wand Mora Lam area of tehsil QilaDarhal. The land once used for fodder cultivation by the department was encroached for past many years. As per a spokesperson of district administration, a team of over a dozen magistrates, 300 Police personnel and officials of AHD carried out anti-encroachment drive under the supervision of ADC Sunderbani Gurmukh Singh and Addl SP Nowshera Master Popsy. Tehsildar Nowshera Sunit Singh, Tehsildar Beripattan Vikas Anand, Tehsildar QilaDarhal Suresh Nagyal along with 5 naib tehsildars performed magisterial duties.
Meanwhile Joint Director Farms Dr P R Bharti and his team made available tractors and seeds for sowing on the retrieved land. “By and large the drive remained peaceful with no untoward incident barring a few minor scuffles. Around 250 locals who gathered on the site showed some resistance at initial stages of drive but after persuasion by ADC, Addl SP and magistrates, facilitated removal of encroachment. The retrieved land was immediately ploughed and brought under active cultivation by department. The repair work on damaged fencing has also been initiated” the spokesperson informed.
He said the government has issued instructions to the Director Farms to seek support from District Administration for removal of encroachment. The plan was finalised only a week ago in a meeting held to review the status of encroachment on land of government departments. After scrutinising revenue record, the DC ordered immediate removal of encroachment for making land available for fodder cultivation to be supplied to dairy farms across the district. The Deputy Commissioner also visited the spot on July 16, interacted with locals and called upon them to amicably remove encroachment on said land in larger public interest.
He said that the district administration is expected to launch more anti-encroachment drives in view of explicit directions from the Government to all District Collectors to immediately carry out a comprehensive mapping of all encroachments relating to State, Kacharai, Govt departments, Forest and Panchayat lands.