HC seeks report on illegal possession of govt land in state

CHANDIGARH:THE Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday directed the Punjab government to file a status report on illegal possession of government land by private individuals across the state.

THEHC bench of justice AB Chaudhari also directed all deputy commissioners to apprise the court of the action taken to take back the land in question and file a status report by December 12.

The order was passed by the bench as a petitioner’s lawyer submitted that his client would hand over the possession of the land to the government. But thousands of acres of land across the state is in illegal possession of people. Tehsildars and deputy commissioners who are responsible for collecting the revenue for the government from the said land have also gone in deep slumber, he submitted.

The court took a serious view of the submission and and directed DCS to file affidavit on the state of affairs of illegal possession of government land by private persons.

The affidavit, it said, should mention the action to take back the land from the persons who are in illegal possession of the lands belonging to the state of Punjab.

“Action taken report shall also be submitted,” the court said while seeking such reports by December 8. The court was hearing a bail plea of Balraj Singh, accused of possessing 75 kanal of government land in Jalandhar.