The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered demarcation and verification of Waqf properties across the Union Territory. The government has asked the Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir divisions to ensure the completion of the process within a month.
According to an order issued by Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary of the J&K Government, it was mentioned that in the process of digitization and geo-tagging of Waqf properties, it has come to notice that there are a large number of properties that require demarcation or where encroachments have taken place.
Accordingly, to conduct demarcation, verification, and removal of encroachments, Tehsildar concerned shall organize verification and demarcation of each of the Waqf properties while associating a representative of the CEO Waqf Kashmir/Special Officer Auqaf.
"Specific focus shall be on those Waqf properties that could not be geo-tagged with reference to the data uploaded on the Waqf Management System of India (WAMSI) portal", the order reads.
Deputy Commissioners to constitute teams for cross-checking
It is further mentioned in the order that the Deputy Commissioners shall constitute teams for 100 percent cross-checking of the demarcation and encroachment reports. The necessary entries of waqf properties in revenue records shall also be made.
Deputy Commissioners will send reports along with copies of relevant records to the CEO Waqf Kashmir/Special Officer Auqaf who shall certify that the properties have been verified as per the records and duly reconciled with the revenue records and undertake digitization/geo-tagging of the properties, details on the WAMSI portal.
Order to identify Waqf properties was earlier issued in 2020
Earlier in October 2020, the then Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Sanjeev Verma had asked the officials to include attestation of mutations, encroachments, recovery of arrears, acquisition, and possession of specific Waqf properties.
All Deputy Commissioners in the Jammu region were directed to conduct a detailed survey of all Waqf properties and submit the list of the assets within their respective districts to streamline its functioning.
While instructing the Deputy Commissioners to identify and remove unauthorized construction or encroachments of any nature, Verma had said that illegal structures built on the government land by way of encroachment should be removed expeditiously.
