New Delhi: A third of “enemy properties” in Uttar Pradesh are under illegal occupation and the government will undertake a statewide drive to clear encroachment of these properties, according to The Hindu.
An “enemy property” is defined as property that was left behind by people who emigrated to Pakistan or any other country with whom India shares a hostile relationship. The ownership of these properties is passed on to the government, which is then bound to identify, preserve and manage them under the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017.
The Uttar Pradesh government has designated 5,936 properties spread across the state as “enemy properties”. Of the these, about 2,250 properties are currently occupied. Among those occupied 1,467 properties have been under the occupation of ‘mafias’ and others, while close to 369 are in the possession of co-occupiers – which together work out to be 31%. As many as 424 properties are with tenants who have been renting them out at nominal rates from the time of previous state governments, according to the government.
Of the total 482 properties in Shamli district, 268 properties are under illegal occupation. After Shamli, Kaushambi has 456 enemy properties, of which 197 are illegally possessed and Sitapur has 378 enemy properties of which 111 are illegally possessed, according to NDTV.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath recently held a held-level meeting with the officials of the home department and directed them to carry out the drive to clear out the alleged encroachments. He instructed them to prepare an updated status report post such a drive. A principal secretary-level official has been made a nodal officer to oversee the process.
According to the state government, many tenants who have been living on such properties for decades have been paying only nominal rent, prompting the administration to carry out a re-evaluation of such properties. The state government has decided to carry out a reassessment of the value of the properties as per current market rates.
The ownership of enemy properties is transferred to the government which is then bound to identify, preserve and manage the properties under the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017.
