Srinagar: In a significant development, Mr. Rajinder Singh Tara (JKAS), Custodian General of Jammu & Kashmir, embarked on a comprehensive tour of Evacuee properties across the Kashmir Division. The tour, conducted on the 11th and 12th of September 2023, included visits to locations such as Peerbagh, Hyderpora, Sanatnagar, Panthachowk, Zewan, Nishat, Kathidarwaza Rainawari, and other places throughout the valley.
Accompanying Mr. Tara on this tour were officials from the Custodian Evacuee Property Kashmir, Deputy Custodian (HQ), and the Executive Engineer of the E.P Department of J&K, along with field staff.
During these visits, various delegations of tenants took the opportunity to meet with Custodian General J&K, Mr. Tara, to present their demands. Notably, several of these demands were addressed on the spot, and Mr. Tara issued directives to Custodian Kashmir to expedite the resolution of other genuine tenant demands.
Furthermore, Mr. Tara held a review meeting on September 13, 2023, at his office chamber in Shaheed Gunj Srinagar. The meeting involved discussions on the functioning of the Evacuee Property Department in Kashmir and its remarkable achievements. These achievements included the reconciliation of figures related to notified Evacuee land in consultation with the Revenue Department in Kashmir Division, as well as the retrieval of a substantial portion of Evacuee and hidden land.
Expressing his satisfaction with the department's efforts, Custodian General J&K, Mr. Tara, conveyed his commitment to safeguarding Evacuee properties with integrity and dedication. He stressed the importance of swift action in collaboration with the Revenue and Police Departments when reports of Evacuee land encroachment arise.
Mr. Tara also urged Deputy Custodians in South and North Kashmir to take timely action against any encroachments or illegal occupations within their jurisdictions. He emphasized that the department's initiatives against encroachers and violators would be intensified, cautioning the general public to refrain from such activities. Violators could face legal action, including imprisonment under Section 18 of the J&K Evacuees' (Administration of Property) Act, Svt. 2006.
Additionally, Custodian General J&K instructed Deputy Custodians to collaborate with District Administration for the effective management and safeguarding of Evacuee properties. He encouraged the identification of Evacuee lands suitable for commercial use and the installation of fences and signboards to deter encroachments. Properties not suitable for departmental use would be put up for e-auction through the department's developed e-auction portal.
In a meeting with a group of department employees, Custodian General J&K addressed concerns about the lack of Departmental Promotion Committee Meetings since 2017. He assured the employees that he would pursue the matter with the Administrative Department to finalize Recruitment Rules, facilitating promotions based on seniority, integrity, and performance.
During his visit to Evacuee land in Panthachowk Srinagar, Mr. Tara “ordered the resumption of possession of 17 Kanals 16 Marlas of Evacuee land, which had been under illegal occupation.”
The department swiftly reclaimed the land after proper demarcation by the revenue agency and installed departmental signboards. Mr. Tara directed the Executive Engineer E.P J&K to fence the land immediately to prevent further encroachments and to propose optimal utilization plans.