Make list of encroachments on govt land, civic bodies told

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, August 5

After Sunman MLA Aman Arora flagged encroachments on government land across the state, the Director, Local Bodies, has asked all municipal corporations, committees, councils and nagar panchayats to submit a list of such properties and names of persons in possession of these properties.

The civic bodies have been asked to submit details of properties encroached upon.

In his questionnaire, the Sunam MLA also asked the state government to provide details of any provision or process underway for removing the encroachments. The MLA also sought to know from the state government whether or not it has any plan to regularise the encroachments.

“Encroachments on government land have been a contentious issue in this area. A list of encroachments has never been compiled nor any effort taken to remove illegal occupation,” said Sadhu Ram, president Lok Manch, Kotkapura.

Properties of civic bodies are covered under the definition of public premises under Section 2(e) of the Punjab Public Premises Land (Rent and Recovery) Act, 1973, and encroachments on lands can be removed under the Act.

Besides encroachments on land of municipalities, there is proliferation of religious shrines that become footholds for illegal settlements. There are also many cases of land grabbing where illegal squatters have encroached on footpath and pavement.

“Most of the encroachers take the plea that land on which their buildings were built were never in possession of the municipalities and that they had become the owner of the land by purchasing it from another person. The reality is the municipality is the absolute owner of its land even if it has not taken its possession,” said a senior functionary in Municipal Committee Kotkapura.