Srinagar, Sep 15: Soon after assuming the charge as Custodian General J&K, Rajinder Singh Tara on Friday said that the drives undertaken by the department against the encroachers, illegal occupants of Evacuee properties and violators will be intensified.
Tara after assuming the charge of the post recently conducted extensive tour of Evacuee property assets, land situated at Peerbagh, Hyderpora, Sanath Nagar, Panthachowk, Zewan, Nishat, Kathidarwaza Rainawari and other places of Kashmir Valley.
Custodian Evacuee Property Kashmir, Deputy Custodian (HQ), Ex. Engineer E.P Department J&K along with Field Staff also accompanied the Custodian General J&K during the tour.
During the visit of Evacuee property flats, Convention Centres/ Marriage Halls and Shopping Complex Hyderpora Srinagar, various delegations of tenants met the Custodian General J&K with their demands which were redressed on the spot and directions were passed to Custodian Kashmir for redressal of other genuine demands of the tenants within shortest possible time.
The Custodian General also took a review meeting of Officers/ Officials of Evacuee Property Department Kashmir in his office chamber at Shaheed Gunj Srinagar.
After discussions on the functioning of Evacuee Property Department Kashmir and remarkable achievements thereof which include reconciliation of figures of notified Evacuee land in due consultation with Revenue Department in Kashmir Division and retrieval of big chunk of Evacuee/ hidden land, the Custodian General J&K conveyed his pleasure to the Custodian Kashmir and other subordinate Officers/ Officials.
However, the Custodian General J&K conveyed his message to the Officers/ Officials that the Evacuee Property Department has a deep sense of responsibility towards safeguarding the Evacuee property with honesty and dedication, as such as and when reports of encroachment of Evacuee land are available, the department should act swiftly with the collaboration of Revenue/ Police Department.
The Custodian General J&K also impressed upon the Deputy Custodians South/ North Kashmir to ensure timely action on any type of encroachment/ illegal occupation of Evacuee property if any surfaced within their jurisdiction.
The Custodian General J&K reiterated that the drives undertaken by the department against the encroachers, illegal occupants and violators will be intensified and appealed general public to refrain from such acts failing which action as warranted under law will be taken against such violators which include punishment with imprisonment which may extend to three years in terms of Section 18 of J&K Evacuees (Administration of Property) Act, Svt. 2006.
The Custodian General also asked the Deputy Custodians to liaise up with District Administration for proper management and safeguarding the evacuee property and identify the evacuee land which is potentially viable for commercial purposes including other lands which may be got fenced and sign boards installed to avoid any encroachment, so that the land not viable for departmental use is put to e-auction for which the department has already developed e-auction portal.
A group of employees of the department also met the Custodian General J&K apprised him that no Departmental Promotion Committee Meeting has been conducted since 2017 and the Custodian General J&K assured them that he will take up the matter with Administrative Department for early finalization of Recruitment Rules of the department, so that the genuine demands of the employees for promotion to the next higher grade are acceded to keeping in view their seniority, integrity and performance.
The Custodian General J&K while on visit to Evacuee land situated at Panthachowk Srinagar ordered for resumption of possession of Evacuee land measuring 17 Kanals 16 Marlas which was under illegal occupation of few persons and accordingly the department acted swiftly and after proper demarcation by the revenue agency, the Evacuee land in question was retrieved and the departmental sign boards installed in presence of Naib Tehsildar concerned.
The Custodian General J&K issued directions to the Executive Engineer E.P J&K to get the land fenced immediately to avoid any encroachment / misuse and also come up with the proposal for optimum use of the land.
At last the Custodian General J&K emphasized the need of scanning of all record pertaining to the department through the concerned agency in a time bound manner and up gradation of skills of the employees which should be done on priority and also the department should organize skill enhancement sessions and other orientation programmes for the purpose.
