High Court upset with delay in survey of lands in State

Pioneer News Service
Ranchi

The Jharkhand High Court has expressed strong displeasure with the state government’s attitude while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the completion of land survey work that has been pending since 1974-75. During the hearing, a division bench comprising Chief Justice MS Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar objected to an affidavit filed by an Under Secretary of the Revenue Department, questioning the basis on which the Under Secretary filed it when the Revenue Secretary had been personally directed to file the affidavit during the previous hearing. The bench issued a clear directive for the Revenue Secretary to personally file an affidavit containing new facts and updated information by July 15. Additionally, July 21 has been set as the date for the next hearing.

In an earlier hearing, the High Court had directed the state government to clarify, via affidavit, by when the land survey work across all districts of Jharkhand would be completed. The court had sought clear information regarding the progress and the stipulated timeline for this task.

Petitioner Gokul Chand filed the PIL in this matter. The petition states that the last comprehensive land survey in the Jharkhand region was conducted in 1932. Subsequently, a process for a new land survey was initiated in 1974-75, yet even after five decades, the work remains incomplete. The petitioner has urged the court to fix a definite timeline for the government to complete the land survey so that the work can be finished quickly and land records updated.

The petition notes that completing the land survey will lead to the updating of land records in the state. This will reduce disputes related to the nature, ownership, and demarcation of land. It will also help curb potential manipulation and fraud regarding land ownership rights. Experts believe that having updated land records will make development projects, compensation distribution, and the functioning of revenue administration more transparent and effective.

During an earlier hearing, the state government informed the High Court that modern technologies are being employed to expedite the land survey work. To this end, three state teams have been sent to Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka to study modern land survey techniques. The government also apprised the court that these techniques would be implemented in Jharkhand to accelerate the survey process. So far, land survey work has been completed in the Latehar and Lohardaga districts, while the process is ongoing in other districts. The High Court has now directed the government to submit a clear timeline and a progress report regarding the completion of the survey work.