Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 4: In what could be the testimony of the unabated loot and plunder of green wealth of the State, 6684 cases of forest damages have been detected across the State during the past three years while as over 2.63 lakh kanal of forest land is under encroachment in Kashmir and Jammu divisions.
According to the information furnished by the Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment in the Legislative Assembly in response to the question of MLA Reasi, Baldev Raj Sharma, 5443 cases of forest damages were registered under the Forest Act during the last three years in Jammu region out of which 3366 cases have been disposed off.
As far as Kashmir region is concerned, 1241 cases have been registered in concerned police stations against 3890 culprits during the last three years. As many as 1057 cases have been challaned in the courts against 3771 offenders. “Further 93 dossiers have been framed and submitted to District Magistrates for detention of habitual offenders under the Public Safety Act with 69 warrants having been issued detaining 49 culprits”, the Minister said.
The Minister said that under Section 48(A) of Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act, Forest Officers have evicted 19503 kanal of forest land in Kashmir valley and 2511 kanal in Jammu region from the encroachers besides 13 attempts of fresh encroachments have been foiled and an area of 2474 kanal has been saved from the clutches of encroachers in Jammu area.
Though the Minister claimed that efforts were on for eviction of balance area under encroachment, he didn’t specify the time-frame within which the 2.63 lakh kanal forest land would be taken back from the encroachers.
According to the district wise figures furnished by the Minister, over 54,311 kanals of forest land is under encroachment in Rajouri district while as over 35422 kanal forest land is under illegal occupation in Poonch district. Over 19847 kanal of forest land is under encroachment in Reasi, over 15919 kanal in Doda, over 9944 kanals in Kishtwar, 37938 kanal in Ramban, over 3639 kanal in Jammu, 409 kanal in Samba, over 4350 kanal in Kathua and over 5341 kanal in Udhampur district.
As far as Kashmir valley is concerned, over 27094 kanal of forest land is under encroachment in Anantnag district, over 2939 kanal in Bandipora, over 11221 kanal in Baramulla, 7636 kanal in Budgam district, over 897 kanal in Kupwara, over 6589 kanals in Kulgam, over 8179 kanal in Ganderbal and over 12339 kanal in Shopian district.
About the damage cases and felling of green trees in Jammu region, the Minister informed the House that a total of 196 green trees—17 in East Circle, 91 in West and 88 in Chenab circle, were felled during the past three years while as 85 damage cases were reported.
“The forest officers are making all efforts in taking cognizance of forest offences and dealing with the offenders as per law under the powers vested with them”, the Minister said, adding “the cases of forest offences like illegal felling of trees are either registered with police or lodged in the concerned courts”.
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