Land hiring by Armed Forces in J

New Delhi, June 04 (UNI) In a major relief to owners of immovable properties in Jammu and Kashmir, the government today issued a series of guidelines simplifying procedures for hiring or requisition of lands and buildings by the Armed Forces there.

The decision to issue the guidelines follows various representations from discontented owners whose properties were occupied by the Armed Forces. There were delays in regularising the occupation of such properties due to various ''operational reasons,'' the Defence Ministry said.

As far as hiring of lands or buildings are concerned, under the new guidelines, no land or building would be occupied by the Armed Forces without completion of hiring formalities. However, whenever the occupation of buildings becomes inevitable without completion of the formalities, a Board of Officers would be convened and proceedings completed within a period of sixty days from the date of occupation.

In the case of occupation of land, the intimation thereof would be given immediately to the Defence Estates Officer concerned and to the Station Headquarters so that the Board of Officers for regularisation of occupation of land is convened within a period of one month from the date of such occupation.

In yet another decision, Defence Ministry has delegated enhanced powers, substantially in favour of local commanders of the Army and officials of Defence Estates for speedy disposal of rentals at the ground level. On April 4 this year, the Ministry had enhanced the rentals for requisitioned/acquisitioned land in Jammu and Kashmir to two to five times the prevailing rates. The current decision will go a long way in expediting the disposal of rental claims, Ministry officials claimed.

UNI NAB RP NS1417