Direct identification of encroachers avoided in reply
*19501 hectares of forest land also under illegal occupation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 29: In a startling revelation, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has admitted that over 2.99 lakh kanals of State/Kahcharie land and 19501 hectares of forest land remain under illegal occupation across the Union Territory despite several eviction drives. However, the direct identification of the encroachers has been avoided.
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In a written reply to a question by BJP MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also Minister Incharge Revenue said, “as reported by the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, land measuring 17,27,249 kanals and 15 marlas was encroached in the UT of J&K. Out of this, 14,27,841 kanals and 7.5 marlas has been retrieved and 2,99,407 kanals continue to remain under illegal occupation”.
When asked whether politicians (sitting/former Ministers/MLAs and MPs), retired and serving bureaucrats, their dependents and close relatives have been identified as illegal occupants of State, Custodian, Forest, JDA and Kahcharie land, the Government avoided direct identification of the encroachers and said, “revenue record doesn’t contain any entries by profession of the land owner. Even Jammu Development Authority (JDA) doesn’t keep record of encroachers by profession”.
This evasive response raises eyebrows, especially since several previous reports and public complaints have pointed to the involvement of powerful individuals in land encroachment cases across J&K. Even in the status reports submitted before the High Court, in the Public Interest Litigations (PILs), the Divisional Commissioners identified politicians and other influential persons as encroachers of the land.
Regarding forest land, the Chief Minister informed the House that land measuring 19501.87 hectares is under encroachment as on September 30, 2025. These startling figures expose the continuing menace of land grabbing even after repeated directions from the successive Governments and the judiciary.
The Government maintained that the removal of encroachments is an ongoing process being carried out by the field functionaries of the concerned departments. “The revenue field formations have initiated various anti-encroachment drives as a result State/Kahcharie land measuring 14,27,841 kanals and 7.5 marlas has been retrieved”, the Minister Incharge Revenue said.
The Forest Department, the Government said, has also initiated action against the encroachers and has also initiated various steps to retrieve the encroached forest land from the illegal occupation.
Notices have been issued to the encroachers as per the provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and eviction drives are being conducted by the Forest Department to remove the encroachments. Further, proceedings against habitual forest land grabbers with the help of police and civil administration are being initiated to retrieve the encroached forest land.
The Forest Department, it said, had removed 242 encroachments this year alone, retrieving 55 hectares of land, which as per the observers, is negligible especially in the light of the fact that 19501.87 hectares continues to be under illegal occupation.
The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has reportedly retrieved 300 kanals of land since January 2025 although 16,000 kanals of land continues to remain under illegal occupation in Jammu and Samba districts.
Perhaps the most alarming admission in the reply concerns tampering of revenue records and fraudulent mutations. “The Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri reported four illegal mutations on State land, which were later cancelled. Two Patwaris namely Mohd Aijaz and Farooq Ahmad were penalized with stoppage of two annual increments and deduction of one month’s salary”, the Government said.
However, there was no mention of such illegalities in other districts, which as per the observers is widespread in other parts of the Union Territory. They have expressed dismay at the Government’s admission that such vast tracts of public land remain under occupation even after high-profile eviction campaigns and the controversial Roshni Act repeal.
“The fact that the Government cannot even identify encroachers by category – political, bureaucratic or private – shows how systemic the problem is”, they said, adding “the magnitude of un-retrieved land proves that encroachment continues under official watch”.
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