Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Nov 11: Forest Department with the help of district administration removed illegal structures raised on a controversial land located at Ibex Colony Agling here.
The joint team of Forest Department and local administration launched an operation and dismantled private structures reportedly built by a group of persons on a land measuring about 10 kanals. The land was reportedly proposed by the Revenue Department in favour of the Forest Department in 1994 and accordingly the Forest Department claims to have built the compound wall on the land about two decades ago. The department neither used the land, nor developed it later.
As the Forest Department learnt that private structures were coming up inside the compound wall of the land, it informed to the district administration and the Revenue Department, with the help of the police, finally succeeded dismantling all structures created on this 10 kanal land today. Deputy Commissioner Avny Lavasa also visited the cleared site later.
DFO, Leh Mohd Abass claimed that land has been grabbed by some people. However, it is learnt that those carrying out private construction on the land also had Khasra number issued by the Revenue Department which makes the case more complicated. According to sources, Khasra numbers in favour of the group of individuals was issued by Revenue Department on the direction of a former LAHDC Chief Executive Councillor.
When asked how the Revenue Department can issue double Khasra numbers to two different groups, DC said if there is a double Khasra, one will be cancelled after hearing the parties and the Divisional Forest Officer Leh has been asked to give it in writing. She appealed to the people to bring such cases to the notice of the administration if there is any.
Responding to media query DFO said that land was in possession of department for more than 20 years and wall has been raised by the staff and it was allotted to the Forest Department for firewood depot. He added that department is now planning to make it mini nursery of evergreen plants brought from outside Ladakh.
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