Kashmir Watch :: In-depth coverage on Kashmir conflict

:. Since 47 land is under occupation of Indian Army

Abrar Lone

Uri, October 07: Demanding that the army should vacate their land which is under occupation since 1947 or pay the rent due to them, the residents of Uri town allege that they have not been paid rent for their plots since 2003.

The said piece of land stretching over 1000 kanals is locally known as Tirastan and was once inhabited by locals. Part of this land also used to be a stop for the coaches on their way to the other Kashmir.

The land was occupied by army in 1947 and according to elderly locals they were forced to vacate the place against the payment of annual rent.

“Before 1947 vehicles traveling to Rawalpindi and Muzaffarabad used to stop here for night stay. Once army occupied this land they paid the rent to owners of the land, but since 2003 we haven’t received any rent,” a resident of Uri, Imtiyaz Ahmad told Rising Kashmir.

“The proprietors of the land raised the issue with the authorities on several occasions, but to no avail,” said a local, Muhammad Shafi.
According to locals the rent was revived several times and before it was stopped altogether it had reached 1800 rupees per kanal annually.

“One of the officials from the state administration whom we approached told us that Crime Branch is handling this case, but latter the officials said that they will investigate the matter,” said a local, Muhammad Ashraf.

“The army should vacate or pay us rent we deserve,” he added.
Shafi said the Deputy Commissioner did not pay any heed to their grievances despite repeated reminders.

“The rent though very little helped the poor families who had no other source of earning. Tirastan brought adequate agricultural economy to them. It had many fruit gardens as well,” said another elderly local, Ali Muhammad.

The locals added that many of those who were evacuated against their will from the land shifted to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, SDM Uri, M A Baigh said, “The reports of the Crime Branch are pending. The case is still lying with them as there were allegations on many locals of having illegal access to the rent provided by the army which was later proved to be wrong, but Crime Branch is delaying the reports and that is why no step has been taken to resolve the issue till now.”