Gurgaon, Nov 15 (IANS): The Haryana government has decided to give one more chance to those occupying rural or urban properties or lands that belonged to people who left for Pakistan in 1947.

People occupying such places can now file their claims with the concerned revenue officer, or tehsildar, seeking transfer of land in their name within a period of three months, an official spokesperson said Friday.

A spokesman of the district administration of Gurgaon, referring to a letter issued by the additional chief secretary and financial commissioner of revenue and disaster management department of Haryana government, Krishan Mohan, said that the department had, through a public notice, asked the occupants of rural and urban evacuee lands and properties, who are in possession of the same, to file their claims within a period of six months from July 24 2012.

That period ended Jan 23, 2013.

It was found that many occupants had failed to file their claims within the stipulated period, and so the state government has now decided to extend the time, by three months from Nov 1.

Failing to file such claims by Jan 31 next year would mean that occupants of such properties or lands are liable to be evicted. They may also face other action, like making recovery of use and occupation charges, the spokesman said.

Use and occupation charges are usually equal to 20 percent of the total cost of the property.

Reliable sources have said that many evacuee lands and properties exist in Farukhnagar, Dhankot, Kherki Majra, Mewka, Khera Khurrampur, Siwari, Pataudi, Naurangpur, Narsingpur, Sihi, Sikanderpur Badha, and Sakatpur in district Gurgaon.

Soon after partition in 1947, evacuee property was handed over by the government to people who migrated from Pakistan to India; some such properties were also occupied by other people.

The government allotted land to people who migrated to India, equal to the property they owned in Pakistan. Surplus land remained, which was occupied by other people. The government started schemes, from time to time, to settle the issue of such evacuee properties.

While the central government first handled the matter, it became the responsibility of the state governments in 1962.

The normal practice was to allow occupants priority, and grant them possession of the land. However, they were expected to deposit the prevailing collector rate.

Many occupants, however, were reluctant to part with money to enjoy continued access to property they had long been using.

At times, such evacuee lands were sold by the state government through open auction.