Srinagar, Oct 29 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir government has said that a total of over 17.22 lakh kanals and 15 marlas of land are under encroachment across the Union Territory, while 14.27 lakh kanals and 7.5 marlas have so far been retrieved.
In a written reply to a starred question tabled by MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania, the Revenue Department, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the encroachments include State, forest, custodian and JDA land.
According to the official reply, the encroached State/Kahcharai land is 17,22,249 kanals and 15 marlas. Out of this, 14,27,841 kanals and 7.5 marlas have been retrieved, while 2,99,407 kanals are yet to be retrieved. About forest land, 19,501.87 hectares are under encroachment as of 30 September 2025, according to the reply.
The department said that removal of encroachments is an ongoing process undertaken by the concerned field functionaries and that notices have been issued to encroachers under provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
“Eviction drives are being conducted by the Forest Department, while proceedings against habitual land grabbers are being initiated with the help of police and civil administration,” the reply stated.
As per the Forest Department’s report, 242 encroachments were removed and 55 hectares of forest land were retrieved this year.
The reply further revealed that in the Rajouri district, four illegal mutations on state land were reported and cancelled, with the land escheated to the State. Two revenue officials — Mohd Aijaz (Patwari) and Farooq Ahmad (Patwari) — were penalised with the stoppage of two annual increments and the deduction of one month’s salary—(KNO)