The Gujarat government’s Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act 2020 [Jamin Pachaavi Paadva Per (Pratibandh) Act 2020] enacted to protect landlords from illegal occupation of their property by interlopers enabled the Bilimora Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman Trust Funds to evict unlawful tenants from one of their 10 galas (premises), managing trustee Marazban Baria told Parsiana on September 17, 2023. Within a year of filing a complaint with the relevant authorities the collector acted on the application, Baria noted. Imprisonment under the Act may vary from 10 to 14 years and the fine would depend on the value of the property. This Act also puts the burden of proof on the grabbers once the basic rights of the land owner have been established, he added.
The prime property, near the town’s railway station, is a series of galas constructed about six decades ago. Baria was appreciative of the speed with which the collector acted on their September 2022 complaint.
Top: Marazban Baria; above: property regained by Bilimora Parsi Anjuman Trust Funds
"We collected all the requisite documents with all the necessary evidence and all minute details, showing our lawful claim over the property,” the Bilimora anjuman trustees had stated in a message circulated to the community on September 14. They had "gone through the various stages of enquiry from the collector, Navsari… after verifying the records and evidence provided, the collector… directed the district superintendent of police, Navsari, to take strict criminal action against these three under the Act.”
Baria was appreciative of the support of his co-trustees Dhanjishaw Avari, Homyar Medhora, Zubin Bulsara, secretary Vaspan Medhora; their advocate P. C. Mody and the support of the administration in the speedy disposal of the matter.
Spurred on by the success of this case, Baria says of another anjuman property, "There are four encroachers who have illegally entered our prime properties… Shortly we will take criminal action against them.”