Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 8: Minister for Forests and Social Welfare Bali Bhagat today said that even the VIPs or big politicians will have to vacate the Forest land if they are illegally occupying and the process of demarcation has already started in five identified localities of Jammu areas.
Addressing a press conference here today Mr Bhagat said that after taking over the charge he gathered details about the encroachment on Forest land in the State and took up the matter at higher level. Later, a committee was framed by Govt to initiate demarcation involving three departments Forest, JDA/SDA and Revenue authorities. It was revealed by the top Forest officials that nearly 2,66,000 kanals Forest land has been encroached upon. It was further shocking to observe that it all happened in connivance with the nexus of some political people, key Forest and Revenue officials.
Mr Bhagat alleged that land mafia by using some key officials severely damaged the land record of Forest, JDA and Revenue Department and forced the documents in many cases. The scrutiny of the record has been started. Assistance of some expert agencies is being taken to retrieve the record and after the demarcation process is over, the notices will be served to the land grabbers.
” Whosoever is powerful, the department will serve notices and get its land vacated. Whether it is Bhathindi, Sunjuwan, Sidhra, Roopnagar, Akhnoor or some other place, the Forest Department will protect and retrieve its encroached land,” Mr Bhagat said while responding to a media query.
Replying to another question whether his department will demolish palatial houses of some top politicians, senior bureaucrats and police officials in Bhathindi and Sunjuwan in Jammu, the Forest Minister said, ” In the eyes of law all are equal. Even if a politician from BJP is found illegally occupying Forest land, he will be first to get the notice and face action. Whosoever, is influential will have to face action if he is illegally occupying Forest land,” Mr Bhagat remarked.
To a yet another question with regard to land grabbing by some nomads at Patnitop, on Sanasar road and other parts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, the minister said this is happening with the connivance of some politicians. Basically, nomads are poor. They live temporarily for 3-4 months in Jammu, Samba and Kathua belt during winter months and then leave for higher reaches in Kashmir or other higher reaches. In a planned and systematic manner, some political people are trying to grab prime Forest land and they have kept these poor nomads in fore front. He said at some places, the demarcation team faced stone pelting but with the help of police they are carrying on with their job and will be finished within next one month.
Mr Bhagat disclosed that his department managed to get 3100 kanal area vacated from the land grabbers and the process is going on. Out of this total land nearly 60 % was cleared in jammu region in last three months. About 11,834 cft timber was also seized.
Referring to SWD, he said that liability of nearly Rs 84 crore had been accumulated in last two and half years as pension was not being paid. Now, he has almost managed to get this cleared by taking up the matter with Union Ministry. `Beti Bachao Beti Parhao campaign has also been vigorously launched in which every girl child from birth up to the age of 14 would get Rs 1000 per month and when she attains age of 21, she would get Rs 6 lakh from Govt (SWD). He stated that recently he had picked some nutrition samples in Srinagar and Ganderbal. All of them found substandard. Now, action will be taken against the officials concerned. A committee has been framed for it. The samples from Jammu taken have given some surprises and second sample reports sent outside is yet to be received. He would act after the reports is received. He alleged that there is nexus of suppliers, some people in Labs and some officers of the department. This nexus will be exposed shortly, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel