1480 kanals of land encroached upon at IGC Lassipora in Pulwama

SRINAGAR — More than 1400 kanals of land at Industrial Growth Centre Lassipora, Pulwama have been encroached, a government statement showing the village-wise details of encroachments reveals.

As per the official document of SIDCO, available with the news agency KINS, 40 kanals of land at Gund Achan Pulwama is under encroachment. Similarly at Tantraypora 371.08 kanals; Armulla 111 kanals; Petipora 167.08 kanals land is under encroachment.

The document further reads, “At Nowpora Bala Shopian, 167.16 kanals, Turkwangam 624.25 land is under encroachment.

Lassipora Industrial Estate is one of the most thriving zones in southern Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

One of the industrialists at Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) Lassipora alleged the land grabbers have been illegally occupying the land for years and the authorities were acting as mute spectators. “The land grabbers used to start with possessing small portions of land but now a large portion has been grabbed,” a unit holder said.

In the year 1984, the land was acquired from around six different nearby villages. Government in 1985-86 identified 6192 kanals of land for development of this Industrial Estate at Lassipora which was falling then in district Pulwama.

The proprietary land was acquired under Land Requisition Act for which the government placed funds to the tune of Rs 56.92 lakh in 1984-85 at the disposal of then District Collector for disbursement. “However, some land owners refused to take money as they had illegally annexed a huge chunk of state land with their proprietary land converting it into fruit orchards,” sources said, adding that since then the encroachments were going on unabated.

Sources at the SIDCO lamented that they have repeatedly brought the issue to the notice of the district administration.

Sources told KINS that several times, SIDCO had addressed a communication to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir requesting for initiating action against the violators to get the encroached land vacated.

In its one of the communication, the SIDCO had said, “After having exhausted the available Industrial land banks in the periphery of Srinagar city, the focus of land allotment for Industry is concentrated in this Growth Centre and the land encroachments are coming up as big impediments towards the completion of the Development of the Estate.”

“It is requested that the Revenue authorities be instructed for strict compliance, as J&K SIDCO despite persuasion has failed to have the encroachments identified and removed through the concerned Revenue authorities,” it said.

However, sources said that till date, nothing has been done even after several communications.

Meanwhile, the insiders of the corporation alleged that these people are enjoying the patronage of influential people and have encroached upon government land. “I can tell you that influential people are helping them to continue encroaching on land in the area,” one of the insiders said.

The insiders further said that even the government’s repeated efforts to evacuate land encroachers from the area have yielded no concrete results. “It is difficult for us to vacate encroached land without the support of the government,” they said.

When contacted, General Manager of SIDCO Ajaz Ahmad admitted that the people have encroached on land belonging to the SIDCO. “It is true that the people have encroached the land but we have taken up the case with the Government and have requested to look into the matter,” he told KINS.

Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce, Ranjan Prakash Thakur said that the encroached land will be cleared soon. “Yes, it is true that huge land has been encroached in Pulwama and Shopian districts. The concerned authorities have been asked to take action against the encroachers,” Prakash told KINS.