Srinagar:  A mega anti-encroachment drive was launched by authorities during which 70 kanals of government land was retrieved in south Kashmir district of Shopian.

An official spokesperson said that the district administration Shopian on Tuesday launched a mega anti-encroachment drive to remove illegally raised structures and retrieve state land from encroachers.

“During the first phase of the drive, 70 Kanals of Kahcharari/state land was retrieved from the encroachers at Keegam, Barbugh, Shopian, Chitragam, Herman, Keller and Zainapora areas,” he said.

District Development Commissioner Shopian, Owais Ahmed, said that the drive for removing encroachments would continue in the till the whole encroached land is retrieved in the district.

The district administration has advised the people particularly those residing along the Mughal Raod, highway and banks of rivers, to remove encroachments on their own otherwise strict action would be initiated against them.

All the Tehsildars were asked to immediately bring any incidence of future encroachments into the notice of the district administration.

The Tehsildars were directed for assessment, and submission of village wise list of the Kahcharari/state land and illegal constructions made on the river banks, nallahs and khulas with photographic evidence.