Over 5 lakh acres of government land in Punjab under illegal occupation
Chandigarh, May 5: Five to six lakh acres of government land in Punjab is under illegal occupation, a cabinet sub-committee of of the state has pointed out.
Faced with this alarming situation, the cabinet sub-committee formed to ensure maintenance of Government Assets and Lands has sought a record of all government-owned lands from all the government boards, departments, corporations and other government institutions.
Committee chairman and state Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who held a meeting of the committee here on Saturday, said that as per the disclosures made in the meeting the total value of the government land under illegal occupation in Mohali district (adjoining Chandigarh) alone exceeds the debt of Punjab which is over Rs 210,000 crore.
"If the lands of such nature are identified in the whole state then it can lead to the rejuvenation of the Punjab from economic point of view," he said.
Former Director General of Police Chander Shekhar, who attended the meeting, disclosed that a total of 5 to 6 lakh acres of government lands are under illegal occupation throughout Punjab.
Presenting the facts and figures pertaining to Mohali district alone, he said that official records stated that out of a total land of 2,585 acres in Mohali district, 2,435 acres was under illegal occupation.
Sidhu said that it has been decided to constitute a committee of experts headed by retired Justice S.S. Saron and Chander Shekhar to free these government lands from the illegal occupation.
"In order to know the status of the government owned lands in the state, the cabinet sub committee has sought the record from all the departments/boards/corporations and other government institutions regarding the lands related to them and has also sought the details with regard to the aspect that how much land is under illegal occupation, how much land is under litigation and how much is laying unutilized," he said.
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World’s ‘nicest judge’ Frank Caprio, who drew huge online audience with his kindness, dies at 88
Rhode Island: Frank Caprio, the Rhode Island judge whose compassionate courtroom manner made him a global sensation, passed away on August 20 at the age of 88.
His death after “a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer” was announced through a statement on his Instagram account.
Widely known as “world’s Nicest Judge,” Caprio rose to international prominence through the television show Caught in Providence, which aired from 2000 and became an internet phenomenon years later. Clips of his empathetic judgments, often laced with humor, warmth, and kindness, attracted millions of viewers on social media, earning him a devoted following worldwide.
Born on November 24, 1936, Caprio served as a municipal judge in Providence from 1985 until his retirement in 2023. His courtroom became a symbol of compassion in justice. His most popular videos have been those where he calls children to the bench to help pass judgement on their parents.
“Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond,” his family wrote in their tribute. “His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him.”
With nearly 3.5 million followers on his personal Instagram account and over 16 million on the show’s official page, he used his platform to highlight systemic issues such as the lack of equal access to the judicial system. In one video, he remarked, “The phrase, ‘With liberty and justice for all’ represents the idea that justice should be accessible to everyone. However, it is not.”
Even in the final years of his life, Caprio remained an advocate for fairness. Reflecting on his approach to the bench, he said in 2017: “I hope that people will take away that the institutions of government can function very well by exercising kindness, fairness, and compassion in their deliberations. We live in a very contentious society. I would hope that people will see that we can dispense justice without being oppressive.”
On social media platformX, Gov. Dan McKee called Caprio a “Rhode Island treasure” and ordered that flags in the state be flown at half-mast in his honor.
