Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 16: Alleging violation of set rules and disregard to the revenue records, the locals in various areas of Brein today said that the Forest Department was encroaching on their land under the guise of forest area demarcation.
A number of people from these areas, including Meebagh, Danpora, Manzgam, Pahloo, Brein, and Astanpora, assembled in protest of the action taken by the concerned department, terming it as arbitrary and against the rules.
“As per rules, they have to ensure demarcation after leaving behind the land with proprietary rights, grazing land, and the buffer zone; once that is done, only then do they have to do the necessary identification of land and carry out the demarcation,” said one of the residents, Mukhtar Ahmad.
However, he noted that without following the rules, the department has reached their land where the demarcation is being carried out.
“This land has been with us since our ancestors, and we are in possession of required documents as well,” he said.
The demarcation of the land started in 2022, which the residents said is spread over thousands of kanals, is alleged to be wrongly done without considering the revenue and other related records.
“We solely depend on the land, and it is not that we have resorted to land grabbing; the officers are not even ready to consider the documents and even the revenue records,” the residents said.
The residents said that the old forest line, which was drawn way back in 1952, must be followed, and whenever the process of demarcation is carried out, it must be done in the presence of the Demarcation Division, Revenue Department, and the people who own the land.
“We are not ready to sit with them for any discussion because they promise one thing on the table and do the total opposite on the ground.”
Another resident, Bashir Ahmad, said that they have reached out to the District administration as well regarding the matter; however, he noted that their pleas have been given a deaf ear.
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