More than 17 lakh kanals of state land have been encroached by the land mafia across Jammu and Kashmir, with Jammu division accounting for over 14 lakh kanals, more than three times the figure recorded in Kashmir division, while Rajouri district topped the list among all 20 districts, official data said.
According to the official figures, a total of around 17,27,247 kanals of encroached state land entries were expunged from revenue records across Jammu and Kashmir.
Of the total, Jammu division accounted for 14,00,051 kanals and five marlas of encroached state land, whose entries were expunged from revenue records, while Kashmir division recorded 3,27,199 kanals, it said.
The data revealed stark regional differences, with seven districts of Jammu division recording more than one lakh kanals of encroached state land each, while two districts — Rajouri and Reasi — crossed the two lakh kanal mark. In contrast, none of the 10 districts of the Kashmir division recorded encroachments exceeding one lakh kanals. Only Baramulla and Kupwara crossed the 50,000 kanal mark in the Valley, it said The figures further showed that the twin capital districts of Jammu and Srinagar recorded wide disparities in encroached state land.
Jammu district accounted for 1,45,487 kanals and six marlas of encroached land, while Srinagar recorded 13,862.95 kanals, indicating that Jammu district alone had over ten times more encroached state land than Srinagar.
Rajouri district has emerged as the worst-affected district in Jammu and Kashmir in terms of encroachment on state land, with 2.73 lakh kanals found under illegal occupation by land grabbers, according to official data.
Rajouri topped the list with 2,73,848 kanals and 12 marlas of encroached state land, followed by Reasi with 2,26,857 kanals and six marlas, and Ramban with 1,73,832 kanals. Jammu district recorded 1,45,487 kanals and six marlas of encroached land, while Kathua accounted for 1,30,403 kanals and 1.5 marlas. Udhampur and Poonch also crossed the one lakh kanal mark with 1,19,822 kanals and eight marlas, and 1,11,133 kanals and 16 marlas, respectively, the data said.
Doda recorded 91,957 kanals and five marlas of encroached land, followed by Samba district, which accounted for 74,196 kanals and three marlas of encroached land, while Kishtwar recorded 52,513 kanals and 7.5 marlas respectively.
In the Kashmir division, Baramulla recorded the highest expunged encroached land at 81,327.65 kanals, followed by Samba in Jammu division with 74,196 kanals and three marlas, Kupwara with 52,698.1 kanals, and Kishtwar with 52,513 kanals and 7.5 marlas, the data revealed.
Pulwama recorded 42,730.8 kanals of encroached land, followed by Anantnag with 36,984 kanals, Budgam with 21,775.55 kanals and Bandipora with 20,925.65 kanals, it said.
The data further showed that Shopian recorded 19,034.85 kanals, Ganderbal 19,005.2 kanals, Kulgam 18,853.75 kanals and Srinagar 13,862.95 kanals of expunged encroachment entries.
The figures were disclosed in response to a query seeking details of state and central governments, and JDA lands presently under encroachment and steps being taken to retrieve and regularise such land.
The authorities have expunged illegal records of land grabbers of state government land under encroachment in Rajouri, Reasi, Ramban, Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch, Doda, Baramulla, Samba, Kupwara, Kishtwar, Pulwama, Anantnag, Budgam, Bandipora, Shopian, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Srinagar districts.