Panel for land audit to check encroachers

“It has been proved that the existing machinery of the civic body is incapable of keeping a check on encroachments,” he said. The PMC has also decided to appoint a private party to survey its jurisdiction and identify properties that have not been assessed so far or if there is any change of use.

“The civic body plans to bring all the properties in the tax ambit and simultaneously identify illegally constructed structures,” he said. As per the guidelines set for the committee,it has to take review of the present situation of encroachment on government or private land while initiating steps for not allowing further increase in encroachments. There has to be a land audit every year which would be analysed by another high level committee.

The committee has been asked to give suggestions on maximum effective use of the vacant land and also suggest ways to protect the vacant plot from encroachment. The committee will also recommend action against the officers concerned for failing to check encroachment.

The government order said the state governmet had authorised slums that have come up before January 1,1995 and the slumdwellers have been issued identity cards to protect them and rehabilitate them. However,the migration of population to cities and inability to purchase properties with higher prices lead to encroachment on government as well as private lands.