New Delhi- Over 600 families from Central Kashmir’s Budgam district are likely to get compensation for their land acquired by the Defence Estates Department at Srinagar Old Airfield around 10 years ago.
The huge swath of land measuring 3879 kanal was acquired by the Defence Estates Department in 2012. For the last 11 years, around 600 families from Wathoora, Kralpora, Buchroo, Rangreth and other adjoining areas of Budgam district were seeking compensation for the acquired land.
Prior to 2013, the land owners were paid annual rent by the Army through the Defence Estates Department from 1957. In 2012, the government decided to acquire the land which is already in the possession of the Army.
Although Rs 4.80 lakh per kanal was already paid to each family but the rates were enhanced to Rs 18 to 20 lakh per kanal and the payment was not disbursed to the families over these years.
According to reports, a delegation of aggrieved landowners led by social activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat had a detailed meeting with senior officers in DG Defence Estates Office in New Delhi on Monday.
President of Zamindar Committee Karewa Damodar, Shabir Ahmad Sofi, Vice President Mohammad Ameen Kuchay along with prominent RTI activist from Budgam Mushtaq Ahmad Lone were part of the delegation.
In a statement issued here, the Zamidaran Committee Karewa Damodar said that meeting was successful as the senior officers of DG Defence Estates Office in New Delhi said that payment to the tune of over Rs 600 Crore had been sanctioned by Govt of India and would be disbursed to the land owners through Defence Estates Officer Srinagar and Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam.
Pertinently the land owners along with some prominent social activists had also raised the issue with GOC 15 Corps Lt Gen ADC Aujla in Srinagar last year. They had apprised the senior army commander about the problems faced by affected families due to delay in release of the payments.
“The previous GOC 15 Corps Lt Gen ADS Aujla had taken our issue seriously and since then he had been making communication with the Defence Estates Department. Even after this transfer from Srinagar he facilitated the meeting with the top officers in DG Defence Estates Department and we are fully hopeful that payment would be made to the aggrieved land owners,” Dr Muzaffar told Kashmir Observer.
Expressing gratitude to Lt Gen Aujla and DG Defence Estates G S Rajeshwaran for their support, Dr Muzaffar requested DC Budgam and Defence Estates Officer Srinagar to expedite the case of landowners.
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