Avinash Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 6: On one hand the Forest Minister Bali Bhagat has launched a campaign against forest land grabbers, but his own party colleagues have allegedly encroached upon a major portion of forest land in Sunjwan area of the of city outskirt.
Sources informed Early Times that the attempt to encroach the forest land came to fore when, a Gujjar leader, Gulam Ali and others having affiliation BJP tried to raise a house at Sunjwan area. "The person encroached upon forest land is a BJP leader, who had earlier his affiliation with National Panthers Party," sources said, adding that despite objection Forest Department, the influential leader is trying to raise his building.
They further said that the leader has owned/ possession on 19 Kanals of land in Sunjwan and plans to execute a major project in the area.
"Since, the land-grabber has affiliation with BJP is raising the construction, showing thumb to Forest Minister, and nobody daring to him", said sources and added that it exposes how serious BJP is towards forest land encroachment.
They further divulged that Forest Department has thousand Kanal of land, in Sunjwan area and attempt has been made, not only opposition party leaders, but by the BJP leaders themselves, which exposed the hollowness of anti-encroachers drive of BJP Minister.
DFO, Jammu Forest Division, VS Senthil Kumar, when contacted said that the Forest Department has stopped construction on said land. "A building was being constructed on forest land in Sunjwan, the person had possession on nine Kanals of forest land, we demolished the structure being raised, immediately after receiving the complaint", he said. |
