JDA Reclaims 16 Kanals in Paloura Anti-Encroachment Drive; Focus Shifts to Notorious Khasra No. 985

VC JDA Pankaj Sharma Orders Sustained Action; Tehsildar Zone A Rashi Dutta Leads Retrieval, Vows to Clear All Encroachments Including 8-Kanal Patch Linked to Land Grabbers

JDA, under directives from Vice Chairman (VC) Pankaj Sharma, intensified its anti-encroachment drive, with Tehsildar Hqr. JDA (holding additional charge of Zone A&B), Rashi Dutta leading a team to retrieve 16 Kanals of prime JDA land under Khasra No. 1121 in Paloura.
The retrieved land was immediately secured with fencing and a JDA board; this action follows a JDA letter dated 10/03/2025 concerning Khasra Nos. 1120, 1121, 1121/1, and 1121/2 in Paloura, Tehsil Jammu North, and an encroachers’ list.
Focus is now sharply on Khasra No. 985 (total 43 Kanals 8 Marlas, transferred to JDA vide Govt. Order No. Rev (NDJ) 46 of 1973 dated 28/01/1973), where an 8-Kanal fake mutation was previously set aside by then DC Jammu Avny Lavasa (Order dated 07/01/2023 in File No. DCJ/RDR/2022-23/47, instituted 30/09/2022).
Tehsildar Dutta confirmed the file pertaining to Khasra No. 985, including the cancelled mutation and action against involved Revenue officials (a Naib Tehsildar and Patwari), is now under review for swift retrieval of the 8-Kanal patch currently occupied by known land grabbers against whom JDA has previous records.

jj correspondent
Jammu, May 15, 2025: The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has significantly ramped up its efforts to reclaim illegally occupied state/JDA land, with a decisive anti-encroachment operation conducted in Paloura, near Lohan Park. Under stringent directives from Vice Chairman (VC) JDA, Pankaj Sharma, a team spearheaded by Tehsildar Hqr. JDA (holding additional charge of Zone A&B), Rashi Dutta (JKAS), successfully retrieved 16 Kanals of prime JDA land falling under Khasra No. 1121. The operation was executed with the support of the concerned JDA Patwari, the Station House Officer (SHO) Janipur, and other JDA officials.
This recent retrieval on Khasra No. 1121 follows a JDA communication dated March 10, 2025, vide No JDA/Teh-A/2214-19, which specifically addressed encroachments on Khasra Nos. 1120, 1121, 1121/1, and 1121/2 in Village Paloura, Tehsil Jammu North, and included a list of identified encroachers. Immediately upon freeing the 16 Kanals, the JDA team secured the perimeter with fencing and installed an official JDA board, signalling a no-nonsense approach to protecting public assets.
The focus of JDA’s anti-encroachment drive is now sharply turning towards another notorious parcel of land in the same vicinity, specifically Khasra No. 985. This land, totalling 43 Kanals and 8 Marlas in Village Paloura, was officially transferred to JDA vide Government Order No. Rev (NDJ) 46 of 1973, dated January 28, 1973. This particular Khasra number has a contentious history, including an attempt to legitimize an illegal occupation through a fake mutation of 8 Kanals.
This fraudulent 8-Kanal mutation was subsequently challenged and decisively set aside by the then Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Avny Lavasa. The order, dated January 7, 2023, was passed in the case (File No. DCJ/RDR/2022-23/47) which was instituted on September 30, 2022. The judgment not only nullified the mutation but also reportedly led to disciplinary action, including suspension, against the involved Revenue officials – a Naib Tehsildar and a Patwari – who had facilitated the illicit mutation.
Thereafter there were numerous communications between Tehsildar JDA Zone A and SHO Janipur regarding these illegal encroachments and land grabbing and how the landgrabbers were indulging in contempt of the court by not relieving the land.
Speaking about Khasra No. 985, Tehsildar JDA Rashi Dutta confirmed that the complete file concerning this land, including the details of the cancelled fake mutation and the actions taken against the errant officials, which was previously proving difficult to locate, has now been accessed and is under thorough review. She emphasized that the JDA is actively working on retrieving the 8-Kanal patch within Khasra No. 985, which is currently in the illegal possession of known land grabbers. JDA reportedly has previous records and communications identifying these individuals as “hardcore land grabbers.”
VC JDA Pankaj Sharma has issued clear instructions to all JDA Tehsildars and field staff to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards encroachments. The directive is not merely to clear the land but to ensure immediate fencing and installation of JDA signboards to prevent re-encroachment, moving beyond symbolic photo opportunities. Tehsildar Dutta affirmed this commitment, stating, “We are studying the file for Khasra No. 985. The 8-Kanal patch, which is currently vacant but illegally held, will not be spared. We will retrieve all encroached JDA lands, one by one, and secure them properly.”
The JDA’s renewed vigour in tackling land encroachment, particularly targeting well-documented cases involving habitual offenders and previously annulled fraudulent claims, signals a determined effort to restore public faith and reclaim valuable state assets. The administration’s focus on Khasra No. 985 is being closely watched, as it represents a significant test of its resolve against entrenched land grabbing mafias.