Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: In a major crackdown today, the Forest Department dismantled 17 Pucca structures including famous hotel and restaurant and retrieved 12 kanal prime Forest land in Compartment No. 65/ Bahu on Bypass National Highway in Sidhra, Ragoora, Majeen demarcated forest near Environmental Park Raika.
The joint eviction drive by J&K Forest department in presence of Duty Magistrate amidst heavy deployment of Police and Forest Protection Force personnel was launched under the supervision of senior Forest officers. The evicted area is a prime forest land worth of crores in the Jammu city outskirts on the National Highway.
Conservator of Forest East Circle Jammu B. Mohandass who led the anti-encroachment drive from front along with DFO Jammu Anup Soni told that the eviction is carried out after providing reasonable opportunity to encroachers for vacating the forest land and after following due procedure laid down under Indian Forest Act, 1927. With the help of JCBs the Pucca structures were razed to the ground amidst resistance from the encroachers.
CF East further stated that the Forest department is showing zero tolerance for the encroachment and today’s operation is a step ahead in vacating the Forest land from the clutches of encroachers and department will continue such drives in future. He expressed gratitude to the District Administration and Police for their active support for making this a successful operation. The cleared area was being fenced by the department.
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