Ganderbal, Feb 01: Continuing with its anti-encroachment drive to free the government land from illegal occupants, the Ganderbal administration on Wednesday retrieved 495 kanals of State and Kahcharai land in various tehsils of the district.

The special anti-encroachment squads constituted by the district administration headed by tehsildars with the assistance of police and other departments conducted massive anti-encroachment drives.

On Wednesday, 298 kanals of government land were retrieved at block Ganderbal by the anti-encroachment squad headed by tehsildar Ganderbal while 53 kanals were retrieved by tehsildar Tullamula and 65 kanals of Kahcharai land were retrieved in tehsil Lar.

Similarly, the anti-encroachment squads in the sub-division Kangan retrieved 74 kanals of government land which include 24 kanals of state land in block Kangan and 50 kanals in block Gund.

The district administration has so far retrieved 17,627 kanals of government land which include 11,672 kanals of state land and 5,955 kanals of Kahcharai land in the anti-encroachment drives.

Seeking the cooperation of the general public in retrieving the government land from encroachers, the administration has warned of strict action under the relevant laws in matters of encroachment of State and Kahcharai lands.