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| As encroachers cut deep into forests, Deptt lacks maps, proper records | | | Javaid Naikoo
Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 8: The tall claims of state government to recover encroached forest land from land Mafia is likely to prove hoax as according to credible sources most of forest compartments of Kashmir division are without forest maps and summation book of Forest records.
During the peak of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir most of the offices of the Forest Department across Kashmir were set ablaze by unknown people and such a situation according to one top official of Forest department resulted in loss of forest maps and actual record of Forests of Kashmir division, giving encroachers licence to their misadventures.
Official figures reveal that at present around 13,000 hectares of forest land are under encroachment and out of which 3100 hectares of forest land have been retrieved from land mafia so far over the years. Wishing anonymity of his name and posting, one noted top brass officer of forest department informed Early Times that figures shared by officials with any Journalists or Non Government Organizations (NGO's) about Hectares of forest land under encroachment in any forest compartment of Kashmir is always based on guess work as there are no actual summation books of forest records available with officials at present and neither they have access to forest maps.
Sources revealed that in Hundreds of forest compartments of North and South Kashmir where till date thousands of Hectares of forest land are under the illegal occupation of land mafia, timely placed officials and land mafia having achieved political influence have destroyed actual records of Forest land and now claim the state land under their occupation as their ancestral property. It is always impossible to recover actual area of forest land encroached by land mafia when according to source officials in charge don't have summation book and map of forest compartments available with them to claim actual figures of forest land and recover the same from encroachers. In many forest compartments where people have erected residential house amid previously called dense forest areas over the years, forest officials, encroachers in nexus with revenue officials have also framed fraud documents to claim forest land.
Sources revealed not even once till date a single demolition drive was launched by forest officials either in North or South Kashmir forest compartments to demolish residential houses, hutments, apple Orchards, shops erected by encroachers within formerly called dense forest areas. There is no easy way for forest department to dig out actual record of forest compartments when according to sources forest maps are missing and summation books are not maintained for years now. Sources said that compared to Jammu division, forest compartments of Kashmir division particularly in North and South Kashmir are in shambles as forests are cut by Government to meet requirements of wood by people but no emphases is laid to plant conifer trees to compensate loss. Meanwhile despite repeated attempts, Minister for forests and ecology, Bhali Bhagat did not pick up the phone. |
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