Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, June 29: Continuing its special drive against the illegal encroachment of City forest land on the outskirts of Poonch, Forest department Poonch along with staff of FPF, social forestry with police assistance in presence of Executive Magistrate, has fenced nearly 100 kanal prime land worth crores at Kamsar Banpat near Poonch city.
On the basis of specific complaints, direction was issued to Poonch Forest Division from the office of Commissioner /Secretary Forests to look into the complaints of encroachment on forest land near Poonch.
Poonch Forest Division, after conducting enquiry found that area is recorded as Ghair Mumkin Jaad. In 1992, there was an old closure of Social Forestry. Currently, maximum area of Khasra No. 485/1 is open but under heavy pressure of encroachment in form of KAP with lots of illegal revenue entries.
Mohan Choudhary, DFO Poonch informed that a joint `Nishandeyi’ was carried out on June 24, 2020 and field staff has submitted inspection note.
Acting promptly, DFO Poonch has coordinated with Rahul Yadav DC Poonch for deployment of Executive Magistrate, Ramesh Angral SSP Poonch to provide police assistance, Ranjeev Sharma Dy Director FPF to provide field staff of Forest Protection Force and Navid Iqbal DFO Social Forestry to provide field staff of Social Forestry Division for peaceful drive of fencing of area and to check any untoward incidence during drive.
Matter pertaining to illegal records in Khasra No’s 485/1 have already been taken separately with Revenue department to cancel illegal entries.
DFO Poonch further informed that area is prime land adjoining Poonch city worth over Rs 50 crore as per market cost, is most suitable for site seeing and would be considered for development into `Urban Van’ in Poonch city.