Over 1460 kanals of Wakf land encroached in Jammu, reveals RTI data

JAMMU — Over 1460 kanals of Wakf land have been encroached on by the general public in the Jammu region, reveals data procured under the Right to Information Act (RTI).

This land from Wakf Board Unit Jammu has been encroached on in different parts of the Jammu region including Bishnah, Akhnoor and RS Pura.

Encroachers including refugees from PoK have encroached over 616 kanals of land in Jammu, 729 kanals in Bishnah, 105 kanals in Akhnoor, and 8 kanals of land in RS Pura.

The general public has constructed shops and houses on the encroached land of Wakf while some are using it for agricultural purposes. Even open fields have been grabbed by locals.

Sikh community, as per the news agency KNT, has installed Nishan Sahib on the Wakf land comprising one kanal and 12 marlas (Khasra number 630) in Chand Nagar Jammu. Furthermore, at Chatha Gujuran, the Sikh community again has converted the Wakf land into a Gurudwara, reveals the data.

Some people have even sold the grabbed Wakf land to others. Even the Revenue Department has sold 11 kanals of Wakf land at Deeli Kunjwani to an unknown party. As per the data, the details of the encroacher are not known and the demarcation report is still unavailable.

Ex-servicemen League at Burn Jammu have encroached over 170 kanals of land. Locals at Gole Gujural have created a ‘Shamshan Ghat’ and paths on 17 kanals of encroached land.

The ironic part is that some encroachers have installed cell phone towers on the grabbed land and have been exacting rent from the telecommunication companies. Refugees have also been allotted Wakf land illegally.

As per the data, the Allen Solly showroom and Reebok shop at Gole Market Gandhi Nagar Jammu are also on the encroached Wakf land.

The application under the Right to Information Act was filed by social activist MM Shuja.