Bengal govt starts survey to identify encroachments on vested land

Kolkata, July 3 (IANS) Amid large scale complaints of encroachments on vested land, the West Bengal Land and Land Reforms Department has started a survey to identify squatters.Sources said that district-level surveys have begun on the instructions of the Chief Minister, as the department is under the direct control of Mamata Banerjee.An internal meeting of the land department will be conducted soon where the preliminary findings of the district-wise surveys will be presented and discussed, sources said.Thereafter, a comprehensive report will be presented to the Chief Minister and on her instructions, initiatives will be taken to free the vested lands from squatters.Departmental insiders said that encroachment of vested land in the state government’s “land-bank” has become a concern for the state secretariat.The land bank has earmarked vested lands that are allotted for setting up industrial units, industrial parks, information technology or financial hubs.As per records, since 2011 over 6,000 acres of land has been allotted to the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC).Departmental sources said that since setting up of the land bank was the brainchild of the Chief Minister, she has given clear instructions to follow a “zero tolerance” policy in case of encroachments.–IANSsrc/rad