Unitholders in Pulwama denied lease-land rights despite paying hefty sums

PULWAMA — Despite paying the lease amount and rent since August last year, district administration Pulwama has not given possession of land to the unitholders who want to set up their units at Industrial Growth Centre Lassipora.

At least eight unitholders have taken 15 kanals land each on lease and for which every unitholder has paid Rs 4.50 lakh per kanal, according to the report of news agency KNT.

“Besides the lease amount, we have been paying rent since August last year and despite fulfilling all the formalities, no possession of land has been given to us,” one of the unitholders from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district said.

The unitholders said that the leased land which they are supposed to obtain from the district administration Pulwama is still under the ‘illegal’ occupation. “Even Assistant Commissioner Revenue along with other officers visited the spot and assured us of possession of land, but till date, we haven’t got the possession,” they said, adding that not only they have paid the hefty sums but also pay the rent for the land which is still not under their possession.

Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has started a drive to evict people in possession of alleged ‘state-land’.

When contacted, a top official from the administration said that all formalities have been completed and encroachers will be evicted from the state land. He said land will be handed over to leaseholders.