Waqf Bd to act against encroachers

Bhopal, Aug 31 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board would initiate further action against those encroaching on the Board's land if the same was not vacated in a month.

Board Chairman Gufran-i-Azam told reporters here today that 54 cases of encroachment were identified and the Board served legal notices to them to vacate in a month.

''We are determined to flush them out,'' he added.

The Board possessed property exceeding Rs 14,000 crore but its annual income had dwindled to only Rs 25-30 lakh due to low rents.

''The tenants should increase rent on their own,'' Mr Gufran-i-Azam felt while adding that he had approached Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to provide grant as the board's income was negligible.

The Board merely had a total 54 staff in the districts and was planning to add 50 more staff after obtaining the government's nod.

Mr Gufran-i-Azam appealed that the land be vacated in view of the holy month of Ramzan getting underway on September 2.

UNI BDG AC 1727