KARACHI, Nov 30: As part of the provincial government’s efforts, the Revenue Department has initiated a process to improve its system and provide relief to people, besides facilitating the land record inspection, land regularisation and retrieval of the illegally grabbed government land.

This was stated by Sindh Revenue Minister Dr Irfan Gul Magsi while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.

He said that during the recently launched anti-encroachment drive, some 5,000 acres of grabbed land along the Super Highway had been retrieved so far. About 18 large compounds covering hundreds of acres of land, he said that owners of 14 compounds were not traceable in spite of the issuance of notices through newspaper while those who claimed to be owners of four compounds had opted for litigation.

Dr Magsi said that through fake entries in land record, certain mukhtiarkar and tapedars had caused the government a loss of about 150,000 acres of land in Thatta, Jamshoro and along the Super Highway in Karachi.

He was of the view that that the corrupt practice in Karachi had been rampant owing to the non-availability of the city’s survey record. But now, he added, steps were being taken for producing a satellite survey of the city.

Suparco, he pointed out, would possibly conduct the GIS survey after which all revenue records would be computerised and would be available also on a website.

For streamlining the Revenue Department’s working, the government has also transferred 36 tapedars and 10 mukhtiarkars. They have been reverted to their previous postings in the interior and action has also been initiated for their removal from the service for indulging in corruption.

The departmental action had been initiated against 20 mukhtiarkars for inserting fake entries in the records, the minister said, adding that the inquiries initiated against them would be completed by January 15.

Regarding the new process to facilitate registration and inspection, Dr Magsi said an inspection wing had been created under the supervision of additional district revenue officer.