Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 5: Forest Department retrieved 739 kanals forest land from the encroachers in Doda, Kishtwar and Batote Forest Divisions.
Continuing its drive to evict encroachments (old and new) from forests in Doda Forest Division, a joint team of forest officials of Territorial and Protection force wing of Doda Forest Division, led by the Divisional Forest Officer Doda, Abhijeet Joshi and Deputy Director Forest Protection Force Ravinder Singh under the supervision of MP Dogra, Conservator of Forests Chenab Circle Doda, retrieved 273 kanals of forest land from encroachers.
According to reports the eviction drive was carried out simultaneously in two blocks i.e Block Bhart and Block Kulhand of Kuntwara Range. In Bhart Block, 28 kanals of encroached forest land was retrieved from clutches of six encroachers in compartment 58 of Kuntwara Range.
The second drive was conducted in Kulhand Block in compartments 62, 63, 67 and 68 and during these operation, 245 kanals of old encroachments were evicted.
During the operation, kacha structures in the form of kothas were dismantled on the spot, brushwood fencing and agricultural crops were destroyed.
Action warranted under the provisions of J&K Forest Act was initiated against the encroachers.
Meanwhile, Forest officials team of Kishtwar Forest Division led by Range Officer, Paddar removed 50 kanals of encroachment over Forest land in Forest Compartment 16/Paddar near village Gandhari-Paddar and 4 kanals in Compartment 34/Paddar at village Atholi-Paddar and also dismantled some old “Kothas” on the spot.
The entire operation was carried under close supervision of Conservator of Forests, Chenab Circle, Doda and Divisional Forest Officer, Kishtwar.
In another incident, Batote Forest Division from September 28 to till today carried out an encroachment eviction drive with field staff under the supervision of MP Dogra, Conservator of Forests, Chenab Circle, Doda, Zahid Moghal. A total 412 kanals of forest land was retrieved from the clutches of 50 encroachers.
The 125 kanals was retrieved from eleven encroachers in Gandri Forest Range, Forest Compa-rtment 64/ Gandri, 175 Kanals from nine encroachers in Batote Forest Range, Forest Compar-tment 40/Balout and 122 Kanals from thirty encroachers in Marmat Forest Range, Forest Compar-tment 33-35/Behota Marmat.
Three illegal structures were also demolished by Range Officer Batote during the eviction process. The brushwood fencing and crop sown in the area reported destr-oyed on spot.
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