Avinash Azad
The J&K government faced tough questions from MLA Vijaypur, Chander Prakash Ganga, in Tuesday’s assembly session over the sluggish eviction of encroachers from the Industrial Estate at Balole, SIDCO, Bari Brahmana.
The government admitted delays in reclaiming 522 kanals of state land, designated for industrial development, despite a 2013 order transferring it to the Industries and Commerce Department.
In its response, the government revealed that the Deputy Commissioner of Samba has spearheaded anti-encroachment drives, recovering 236 kanals and 10 marlas of the grabbed land under Khasra No. 3028/184511734 at village Birpur.
This retrieved portion has been handed over to the Industries and Commerce Department following Government Order No. 200 JK(REV) of 2013, dated December 1, 2023, with revenue records updated accordingly. However, nearly half the land—285 kanals and 10 marlas—remains under illegal occupation, stalling the estate’s full operationalization.
The government cited ongoing efforts by the Deputy Commissioner to evict the remaining encroachers, but offered no timeline, fueling frustration over the protracted delay. The Balole Industrial Estate, envisioned as a hub to boost economic growth, has been hamstrung by this land grab, undermining investment prospects and industrial expansion in the region.
MLA Ganga’s query underscores a broader concern: why has a decade-old directive failed to translate into decisive action? The government’s assurances of “persistent efforts” ring hollow as encroachers continue to defy eviction, exposing administrative lapses and raising questions about enforcement efficacy.
Local stakeholders fear that until the entire 522 kanals are reclaimed, Balole’s industrial potential will remain a distant dream, leaving the region’s economic ambitions mired in a quagmire of illegal occupation.
