SRINAGAR: More than three lakh kanals of state land are under encroachment across Jammu and Kashmir, with Poonch district recording the highest extent of illegal occupation. Forest land encroachments have been separately reported at 5,857.41 hectares, according to official data tabled in the Assembly.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, revenue department figures indicate that Poonch accounts for the largest chunk of encroached state land, with over 1.11 lakh kanals illegally occupied. Rajouri district follows with more than 2.73 lakh kanals, and Jammu district has over 45,000 kanals under encroachment. Kathua, Udhampur, Samba, and Doda also report substantial encroachments, highlighting the widespread nature of the issue across both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
Officials stated that while unauthorized occupation entries have been expunged from revenue records, physical possession of land often remains with the encroachers, necessitating ongoing eviction drives to reclaim the state property. The scale of the problem indicates significant challenges in land management and restoration.
In parallel, data from the Forest Department reveals that 5,857.41 hectares of forest land are currently under encroachment. The Anantnag forest division reports the highest concentration of these violations, with 1,523.11 hectares encroached upon. Shopian district follows with over 1,011 hectares, while Budgam’s Pir Panjal division accounts for more than 620 hectares. Significant encroachments have also been identified in the forest divisions of Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, and Ganderbal.
The government has outlined that eviction proceedings are being actively conducted under the provisions of the Land Revenue Act. This process involves issuing notices to encroachers and carrying out periodic drives to reclaim the illegally occupied land. In addition to these measures, joint operations involving the Forest Department, the Forest Protection Force, and local police are underway to clear forest lands. These coordinated efforts aim to expedite the restoration process.
Authorities are scaling up the use of DGPS-based resurveying to accurately demarcate the boundaries of encroached areas. Field staff have been instructed to maintain constant vigilance to prevent any fresh encroachments on state and forest lands. Furthermore, awareness campaigns are being conducted in vulnerable areas, with a particular focus on villages situated on the fringes of forest areas, to educate the public about land laws and the importance of protecting public property.
Data regarding land reclamation since October 2024 indicates that state and forest land has been recovered across various districts. Officials have emphasized that the process of reclaiming encroached land is continuous and is contingent upon legal procedures and ground-level constraints. The judicial oversight by the High Court ensures periodic updates on the progress of eviction drives, maintaining accountability in the process.
The administration is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to address the extensive land encroachments. This approach combines rigorous legal action, the deployment of advanced technological interventions for accurate demarcation, and coordinated enforcement measures. The ultimate objective is to effectively tackle the scale of encroachment and restore public land across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chenab Times News Desk