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| Forest Department acts against hoteliers, retrieves encroached land at Pahalgam | | Locals demand action against influential | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, May 22: The Forest Department today restarted its anti-encroachment drive at famous tourist spot Pahalgam to retrieve forest land encroached by hoteliers. A team led by Divisional Forest Officer Lidder Dr Mehraj demolished the fencing of several hotels in Ganeshbal area of Pahalgam and retrieved around 22 kanals of land.
“The hoteliers had encroached upon forest land by erecting fences and walls,” DFO Lidder Dr Mehraj told Early Times. He said that the prominent hotels which had encroached on forest land include Zaffron Resort, Wood Resort, Hotel Hilltop, Hotel Hill Park and Hotel Pine Cliff.
The forest officer said that the anti-encroachment drive was halted due to inclement weather and introduction of the Right to Forest Act. “Because the Right to Forest Act was introduced and certainly many among them who were occupying forest land came up with claims and due to which it got delayed,” he said.
Dr Mehraj said that anti-encroachment drives as they have pinpointed the encroachers. Those people, especially the tribal population whose claims are genuine, will not be disturbed, he said. Important to mention here last year then Deputy Commissioner Anantnag K K Sidha had constituted a committee for ‘pinpointing encroachments and verification of records’. The seven member committee was directed to submit its report before September 30, 2020 however it failed. The Pahalgam residents appreciated the Forest Department’s anti-encroachment drive; however, demanded action against influential and powerful businessmen, politicians and bureaucrats. “Action must also be taken against those politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen who have encroached upon forest land under the cover of 60-C gazette,” they demanded. The 60-C gazette was issued by the government for Maharaj Hari Singh in 1944 and the beneficiaries were allotted prized plots against the land they had in Pahalgam.
However official sources said that most of them had not surrendered the land, instead occupied the land at both places. “In fact few among the beneficiaries have occupied vacant plants as well,” they said. The forest department maintains that 60-C gazette is ‘invalid’ and has refused to hand over plots to those who are now trying to take possession of land despite the passage of decades now. |
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