India, April 5 -- The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said 256 illegal occupants have been identified along the flood plains of the Tawi River in Nikki Tawi, Jammu district, with encroachments covering 328 kanals and 15 marlas of prime land.

Often called the "oxygen chamber" of Jammu for its lush greenery, Nikki Tawi spans over 5,000 kanals between two Tawi River channels but is under increasing pressure from illegal constructions and large-scale encroachments.Maps

Replying to BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa in the Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said details were submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in connection with an ongoing case on alleged environmental degradation of the river.

The divisional commissioner of Ja...