State land worth Rs90 million retrieved

Officials demolish under-construction structures, boundary walls in Jhelum

JHELUM:

The district administration retrieved six kanals and seven marla land worth Rs90 million during an operation against land grabbers on Monday. A special team under the supervision of Jhelum Assistant Commissioner Maria Javed with heavy machinery launched the operation near river belt Jhelum. During the operation, under-construction structure and boundary walls had been demolished.

Jhelum Deputy Commissioner Kamran Khan said that operation would continue against land grabbing mafia and every inch of state land would be retrieved.

The land belonged to the irrigation department. Later, the relinquished land was handed over to the department concerned.

Officials suspended

A case has been registered against officials of the revenue and agriculture departments on the charge of selling urea at exorbitant prices in the sale points notified by the district government.

Jhelum Deputy Commissioner Jhelum Kamran Khan paid a surprise visit to Fertilizer Sale Point in Sanghoi and learnt through the farmers that the 50kg bag is being sold for Rs2,100 against the official price of Rs1,850.

The deputy commissioner said a case had been registered against two patwaris of the revenue department, an agriculture field assistant, the secretary of the union council Singhoi and a fertilizer dealer.

He said officials involved in the illegal activity had been suspended while an agriculture field assistant had been arrested from the spot and raids were being carried out to arrest the other suspects.

Moreover, the deputy commissioner directed the staff to ensure the provision of cold drinking water, a proper seating arrangement for the farmers.

A rate list should be displayed at prominent places in all the fertiliser sale points, he said, adding that strict legal action would be taken against the officers for their involvement negligence and illegal activities.

The deputy commissioner said an extra amount received from the farmers had been returned to most of them while the rest were being contacted for a refund.

Swimming banned

The Punjab government imposed Section 144 and banned swimming and bathing in the river and dams in the jurisdiction of the Jhelum district for 30 days. Jhelum Deputy Commissioner Kamran Khan said that legal action will be taken against violators.

On Saturday, three children aged between six and 10 drowned while swimming in the Jhelum River.

Police said that the children had come to the city with their families to attend a wedding ceremony.

The children 10-year-old Rizwana, seven-year-old Usman Muhammad Iqbal and six-year-old Natasha went to bathe in the river to reduce the intensity of heat where the strong waves of the river swept away the three children.

After receiving information about the incident, Rescue 1122 workers reached the site and retrieved the body of 10-year-old Rizwana after a long struggle while a search for Usman and Natasha was still in process.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2022.