Land retrieved from former ministers, heirs of former CM

Srinagar, Jan 31: In its war against influential land grabbers, the Jammu & Kashmir administration on Tuesday retrieved land from two former ministers and heirs of a former chief minister in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Details available reveal that J&K government retrieved land illegally occupied by Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed (former minister), family of Farooq Andrabi (Peoples Democratic Party) and heirs of Mir Qasim, former CM of Jammu & Kashmir, in Dooru area of Anantnag district.
At Arad Khoshipora, one Kanal of Kahcharie land under the occupation of Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed was retrieved. The outer wall of his premises which had been constructed on Kahcharie land has been demolished.
“Notices for removing the encroachments had been issued to the former minister but he didn’t respond to them,” sources in government disclosed.
Sayeed is associated with Congress.
According to government sources, the family of Syed Farooq Andrabi, former legislator from Dooru, had encroached upon 2 kanals and 7 marlas of Shamilat land by way of orchards at Shistergam. The same land has been retrieved and notice boards indicating the status of land have been installed on the site.
Andrabi is close relative of former CM Mehbooba Mufti.
According to sources, the authorities also retrieved 15 Kanals of Shamilat lands which had been occupied by the heirs of Syed Mir Qasim, former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is in place to mention that the encroachers had established an orchard at the site which was being used to earn income by utilizing public property.
A senior revenue official said that on the express directions of Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, encroachments by influential encroachers are being identified and anybody found encroaching on State / Shamilat lands will be taken to task. He said that several such influential encroachers have been identified and the drive will continue.