UP govt identifies more than 15 lakh land encroachers

The Goondas Act and the Gangsters Act have been slapped on 1,035 such people, and action is being taken against them, the CM said.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said officials have identified more than 15 lakh people who have encroached upon government land during an anti-land mafia drive.

As many as 1,53,808 people who have encroached upon government land have been identified. The Goondas Act and the Gangsters Act have been slapped on 1,035 such people, and action is being taken against them, he said.

"The money spent to get the land vacated will be recovered from the land mafia. Besides, the Revenue Code-2016 is being amended to give more rights to women," he said at the inauguration of a website of the anti-land mafia task force.

Referring to the Jawaharbagh incident in Mathura, the chief minister said, "Due to encroachment, honest officers lost their lives. Had there been an anti-land mafia website at that time, such incidents could have been averted."

He said if the working of the lekhpal and tehsil office is improved, it will give a significant relief to a large number of people.

"If the poor and the marginalised section of the society are deprived of justice, the government and administration cannot be called public welfare-centric. The working style of officers must induce confidence in the public," Adityanath said.