JEDDAH: Authorities in Jeddah removed encroachers from 111 out of total 500 parks.

During investigations, it was found that businessmen and real estate agents were involved in facilitating encroachment in these parks near palaces and villas in west Jeddah, said an online newspaper.

Quoting sources, the newspaper said that the board of grievances of Riyadh sent the file of 500 cases of land fraud of public parks in Jeddah to the board of grievances of Jeddah to look into the complaints of citizens in this regard. Citizens have suffered due to these encroachments and land thefts.

On the basis of the official action to study the file, which was sent to Riyadh, the matter gained importance as it involved land fraud which had deprived Jeddah of 500 parks. The matter remained with the grievances board of Riyadh for seven months. The cases to evacuate these parks were filed by volunteer lawyers.

Most of these cases were in west Jeddah where real estate agents have helped owners of palaces and villas encroach into these parks.

They have also been allegedly involved in altering the map of facilities in the city in thousands of meters of land.

Advocate Khalid Al-Mahmadi said that the matters of encroachments on park lands is a matter of state. The secretariats of all regions should guard against such practices. He said that there are departments in the secretariat to look into such matters and take legal action against any such practice.

He said that the case of encroachment on public parks was different from cases of bribery, corruption, misuse of power and fraud.