In line with the directives of the Ombudsman Punjab Maj (R) Azam Suleman Khan, the irrigation department has retrieved 341.25 acres of state land valuing Rs390.6 million from illegal occupants in Rajanpur Canal Division.
The irrigation department also took into custody 36 illegal water pumps during its extensive operation to curb canal water theft and retrieval of state land besides demolishing 63 illegally constructed shops. The retrieved state land has been handed over to the concerned sub engineer and the field staff has been directed to take necessary steps to save the government lands from being reoccupied.
The irrigation department has further intimated to the ombudsman office that 28 cases were registered against 395 accused in Rajanpur Canal Division during 2018-21 while taking into custody 333 illegally installed pumps.
As a result of action taken by the ombudsman office on another application, the 1.6 Kanal property, having a market value of 41.60 lac rupees, of Khalid Pervaiz of Kabirwala tehsil of Khanewal has been recovered from illegal occupancy and handed over to the applicant.
On another application submitted to the ombudsman office by Mohammad Asif of Jhang district, a 650 square feet government area with a market value of one million rupees has been handed over to the housing department after its retrieval from illegal occupants.
Meanwhile, the own motion notice of Ombudsman Punjab Maj (R) Azam Suleman Khan has helped a widow Azra Bibi of Okara to eke out her property right after the death of her husband.
