6,465 land grabs in a year

MAKKAH — A total of 6,465 cases of land encroachments were registered by 16 various municipalities in different parts of the Kingdom during last year alone, Makkah daily said on Sunday quoting a report by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs. The report said the plots were of different sizes and locations and they belonged either to the government or individuals. It said about half of the cases were in the Asir province with 3,282 lawsuits against land encroachments filed in the region's courts. According to the report, Hail, with 1,060 cases came second while the Eastern Province came last with only 21 cases. The report said the ministry is following up the cases in various courts to regain public land unlawfully occupied.