Srinagar: Around 2.5 Lakh Kanals of forest land have been ‘illegally’ encroached by government and private agencies in ten forest divisions of Jammu region, officials in the Forest department said on Tuesday.
As per the Official data, 4510.87 hectares of forest land have been encroached in Rajouri. 412.60 hectares of forest land in Nowshera. 1157.40 hectares of land encroached and 1645 hectares of additional forest land in Reasi. 965.92 hectares of land in Poonch.
While as, 474.83 hectares of forest land has been also encroached in Batote. 173.16, hectors of forest land in Ramban. 379.72 hectors of land in Kishtwar and 379.72 in Bhadawah.
These statistics were revealed by the Public Information Officer (PIO) of Jammu division in reply to the Right to Information (RTI) application filed by the activist M M Shuja.
Furthermore, the PIO Public Information Officers from different forest divisions of Jammu have said that actions are being taken under legal provisions in the Indian Forest Act 1927 including FIR against those who are involved.
They have also assured that the concerned department is trying to retrieve the forest land from the encroachers.
However, details also show that National Highway Authority of India has grabbed 187 kanals of forest land for National Highway in Ramnagar. 20 kanals of forest land have been secured by the Government of India under PMGSY to construct road from Mantlai to Gamsadu in Jammu.
In addition to the details, around 6.35 hectares of forest land from Ramnagar,7.50 hectares of forest land from Nandini wildlife sanctuaries have been grabbed by both government and private agencies.
While as, 13 kanals of additional forest land is in the possession of private or government agencies, the report added
