The then DC’s 2021 Order for Tehsildar Office Defied, Red Pen Entries in Girdawari Ignored as 8-10 Kanal Prime State Land Becomes Residential/Commercial Hub; Public Demands Probe into Patwari-Land Grabber Nexus
- A shocking scandal has erupted in Chowadi, where 8 to 10 Kanals of prime State Land, specifically retrieved in 2021 under a Deputy Commissioner’s order for a modern Tehsildar Office and even receiving Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) funds, has allegedly been completely re-encroached upon and converted into private commercial properties, including residents and shopping complexes.
- The brazen re-encroachment occurred despite the DC’s original order being marked in an “indelible red pen entry” in the Girdawari (revenue record) of Khasra Nos. 773, 774, 775, 782, 783, 784, and 786, which remains valid today, raising serious questions about the complicity of Revenue officials and the failure to protect State property.
- Â The incident highlights a disturbing pattern where State Land, retrieved with much fanfare, is later re-encroached; the public demands a high-level probe into which officials, including the current Patwari, enabled this multi-crore land grab, and if DC Jammu Dr. Rakesh Minhas will take decisive action against the powerful nexus.
jj correspondent
Jammu, Sept 13: A colossal administrative blunder, bordering on alleged criminal connivance, has transformed a visionary project for a modern Tehsildar Office in Chowadi into a shocking symbol of land mafia impunity. Prime State Land, measuring a significant 8 to 10 Kanals, which was specifically retrieved in 2021 under a Deputy Commissioner’s order and even saw funds released by the Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) Shaleen Kabra for its boundary wall, has allegedly been brazenly re-encroached upon and converted into private commercial properties, including malls and shopping complexes. This multi-crore land grab, occurring despite clear official directives and indelible entries in revenue records, has ignited a fresh wave of outrage, casting a dark shadow over the integrity of the local administration.
The saga of this valuable land began in 2021 when it was triumphantly retrieved from encroachers by the then-Tehsildar Dr. Rohit Sharma and Naib Tehsildar Salim. Following its successful retrieval, the then-Deputy Commissioner issued an order for a modern Tehsildar Office, complete with staff quarters, to be constructed on this very site. The implementation of this order was diligently recorded, with an “indelible red pen entry” made in the Girdawari (field inspection record) of Khasra Nos. 773 (3K-17M), 774 (3M), 775 (1K-3M), 782, 783, 784, and 786, explicitly marking the land for the proposed office. This significant red pen entry, indicating a clear official directive, remains valid in the Girdawari to this day. Adding further weight to its status, FCR Shaleen Kabra had even sanctioned funds for the construction of a boundary wall to secure the land, and PWD (R&B) had reportedly initiated some preliminary work.
However, years later, this prime State Land, once destined for public service, has allegedly been swallowed by land grabbers. Sources confirm that illegal residential and commercial constructions have mushroomed on the site, turning it into a thriving private shopping complex. The current Patwari, when questioned, confirmed that the red pen entry in the Girdawari is “still valid,” unequivocally asserting the land’s official designation as State Land for the Tehsildar Office has never been formally changed or cancelled. This raises fundamental questions about how such a massive encroachment could occur despite clear official records and funds allocated for its protection.
When confronted, the current Revenue officials appear to be in a state of confusion or denial. The current Tehsildar stated that he had sent the Patwari and Naib Tehsildar to the spot for “verification” of the land’s status, promising action after their report. However, given that the land was retrieved in 2021 and its status as State Land for the Tehsildar Office was formally entered in the Girdawari, any “verification” now seems like a deliberate delay tactic. SDM South Manu Hansa claimed, bafflingly, that his “information” suggested the land was “private” at the time of retrieval, a statement that directly contradicts the existing Revenue records. He, however, quickly acknowledged that if it were private land, the original owners should have moved to cancel the “red pen entry” in the Girdawari in the past four years, which they have not, adding he will verify the records and if the land is found that of the state it will be retrieved and action will be taken on the officials or land grabbers who facilitated the encroachment at that time.
The scale of this alleged fraud is staggering. If retrieved State Land, worth crores of rupees, can be re-encroached upon and converted into private commercial enterprises, it exposes a critical flaw in the administrative machinery. It also casts a dark shadow over the much-publicized anti-encroachment drives, questioning whether retrieved lands genuinely remain with the government or are eventually allowed to be re-grabbed by powerful mafias allegedly in connivance with compromised officials. Former Tehsildar Dr. Rohit Sharma, who originally retrieved the land, declined to comment, while then-Naib Tehsildar Salim stated he had no knowledge after his transfer. At the time of Dr. Rohit Sharma, a large portion of State Land was retrieved; the administration must now answer whether that land is still with the government or has been encroached.
The public is demanding answers. “Who enabled this multi-crore land grab? Which Revenue officials, under whose tenure, allowed this to happen?” these are the questions echoing across Jammu. Given DC Dr. Rakesh Minhas’s reputation for taking decisive action against corruption in his previous postings, there is a strong expectation that he will take immediate cognizance of this colossal blunder. The people of Jammu expect strict action against all culprits-be they land grabbers or corrupt Revenue officials-who have allegedly defied official orders and allowed a project for public good to be swallowed by private greed. This incident is a harsh reminder that the fight against corruption is only as strong as the integrity of the officials at every level of the administration.
