Srinagar, Feb 11 (IANS): The J&K government has wrested the control of a prized piece of land in Amritsar which was under illegal occupation for nearly 56 years.

The Resident Commission of Jammu & Kashmir government took over the possession of 20 kanals of land at Daim Gunj in Dhapai Road, Amritsar, on February 10. The land was under illegal occupation since 1964.

A decree in the case was instituted in 2006 by the then Jammu and Kashmir government, but the execution petition was initiated only in 2017, which was fast-tracked and followed vigorously during the last one-and-a-half years.

The land was leased out to three different parties for a period of five years, prior to 1964. The lease was not renewed and the occupants and their descendants continued to illegally possess the land.

During the last two years, the matter was taken up on a fast-track basis with the high court and the lower court for retrieval of the land.

An application under Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) was filed on behalf of Jammu and Kashmir government before the lower court for getting the warrants of possession. The application was decided in favour of J&K government on December 13, 2019.

Under court orders, one chunk of land measuring 20 kanals was retrieved on February 10.

The process to retrieve the remaining 15 kanals is also under adjudication and shall get settled soon.