Hundreds of acres of the military land and structures encroached over decades could be rescued in a single sweep. The Union minister of state for defence, Dr M.M. Pallam Raju, has stated that all revenue records regarding defence lands will soon be microfilmed and digitally stored by using the latest land survey methods.
Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, Dr Raju said while the mapping of all the defence land and estates was in an advanced stage, the ministry would next take up the digital microfilming of revenue records across the country. He ex plained: “First, this (record) will be available (at) all times. Second, it will protect vital information, ensuring that records are not tampered with. Third, it will reduce storage costs in the long run.”
Dr Raju said the process would be completed by the year-end after the verification and validation of land records. The digitally mi-crofilmed records would be verified for authenticity and accuracy and then used for reference in place of the centuries-old paper documents. They would “hopefully” lead to a prompt eviction of illegal occupiers and squatters from the defence land. Dr Raju said about 12,000 acres of the total 17.56 lakh acres of defence land in eight regions across the country had been occupied by encroachers. Many of the squatters were the lessees of a “long-term lease”, he said, adding that encroachments took place over a long period of time.
More than half the encroached defence land was in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, approximately 3,080 acres and 2,500 acres, respectively, he noted. Defence sources say the Northeastern states and Union territories are relatively free of encroachment. In many cases, encroachers have tried to sell the land to parties in multiple transactions. In some cases, religion has been exploited for the purpose of encroachment.