Forest mafia destroys 1000 trees in Garkal, with backing some local politicians

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Aug12: Putting all the norms at bay, the forest land grabbers have allegedly destroyed around 1000 trees of different varieties planted by the MFP unit of Forest Department in Garkhal area.

Sources said that this has been done with the active help of some government officials and political patronage.

 Moreover, the land mafias have also tractorised the whole closure in order to cultivate it.

The alleged grabbers includes Mukesh Kumar son of Bua Ditta resident of Rajpura Mandi, Sham Lal son of Ishar Dass resident of Paragwal.

The locals of the area also allege that the concerned Police is not cooperating with the Forest Department as a result of which the morale of land grabbers is very high as they continue to plunder the State exchequer by damaging Green Gold of the State and sought intervention of Forest Minister to save this closure from the clutches of land mafia.

Pertinent to mention here that the Forest Department have established this closure which is spread over an area of 300 kanals in 1994-95 near the International border in order to maintain ecological balance and to save locals from Pakistani firing but for the last 4-5 years, the land grabbers have encroached upon it by cutting hundreds of Khair and Talli trees inadvertently. Moreover, they have been able to get the girdawari of 40 kanals of Forest land registered in their favour with the active connivance of revenue field staff.

When contacted Range Officer MFP Projects, Jammu/Kathua Range Tara Chand confirmed that on 8, August 2012 they have made plantation in the said closure in the presence of Forest Protection Force which have been uprooted during night hours by the accused and thrown away into the adjoining river.

He further said that the offenders are repeatedly causing damage to the said closure and in this regard several complaints were made to the Police but in vain.

However Station House Officer Akhnoor, Mahesh Sharma said that the case is in the court as the police department has submitted the challan in the court.

“Many times we asked forest department to deploy their security guard and we will provide security as per requirement” said Sharma.