Survey reveals discrepancies in land ownership, as Waqf Board and state government lay claim to same properties
Team Clarion
KAUSHAMBI — A survey of Waqf Board properties in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district has raised concerns about the legality of land ownership; both the state government and the Waqf Board claim rights to the same parcels of land.
To resolve the growing dispute, the district administration recently completed an extensive survey of 413 properties spanning 93 hectares. However, it was discovered that some of these lands are recorded as government property while the Waqf Board maintains possession.
According to the Kaushambi district administration, the lands in question include sites of religious significance, such as Idgahs, graveyards, dargahs, and Karbalas. These sites have been under the administration of the Waqf Board, but government records list them as state-owned. District Magistrate Madhusudan Hulgi explained that most of the land is concentrated in Chail tehsil, with 44 hectares under Waqf Board control. Other areas, like Manjhanpur and Sirathu, have smaller portions, totalling 23.11 and 26 hectares respectively.
“The Waqf Board currently holds 413 government lands in Kaushambi, but these lands are officially recorded as government property,” Hulgi stated. “Most of the land hosts religious structures, such as Idgahs, graveyards, and Karbalas. The survey is complete, and the report has been sent to the state government for further review.”
The district administration’s report raises questions over the authenticity of Waqf claims on the land, highlighting the discrepancies between Waqf Board records and government documentation. Waqf Board officials have disputed the claim, insisting that the properties rightfully belong to the religious endowment, which traditionally oversees such sites.
“The land is ours, and we have been managing it for generations. It is wrong to suggest that we are illegally occupying it,” a senior Waqf Board official said, requesting anonymity.
The investigation is expected to provoke further tensions between the two parties, as both sides await the outcome of the verification process. District officials indicated that the report will be forwarded to the government for approval, after which further action will be taken to resolve the conflicting claims.
For now, the future of the 93 hectares of disputed land remains uncertain, and a drawn-out legal battle looms.
