How is it that despite strictures passed by the High Court and directions from the High Powered Committee constituted on the directions of the High Court, UT Forest Department is not setting its house in order which is in great disarray in most of the areas of its functioning. Supposed to look after, guard, maintain, protect and preserve the green gold of Jammu and Kashmir, it is really disturbing to note that even the elementary duty of maintenance and cleaning up of the records of forest areas let alone protect them vigorously from encroachers, is found to be of utter disappointing nature. Only last year in September, a Division Bench of the High Court had observed that the authorities of the Forest Department were in fact assisting the encroachers in perpetuating their illegal acts on the public property. What actually is responsible for dislodging the equations of competent administration, control, maintenance and up – dating of records of the forest areas and complying with the court directions, must be fully known to those who helm the affairs of this department and taking no steps whatsoever in streamlining the things by the concerned department must be seriously taken note of by the higher authorities in the administration. In most of the areas demarcated as forest areas, boundary pillars are totally missing which are an open invitation to encroachers and others pilfering forest wealth. In fact, the very purpose of such boundary demarcations gets defeated. Should things start moving only when complaints about blatant encroachment are received by the Forest authorities that they start moving to district authorities to approach Revenue Department to provide details of revenue records so that they came to know how much and at which place in the concerned area encroachment had taken place and not otherwise in ordinary course of business?. Why a strong liaison is not so far established with the Revenue Department to mutually review the correctness and updating of records of forest areas? Such short term, patch working and inconsistent ways of reacting to a particular encroachment and that also when a formal complaint was lodged, was only emboldening the criminal spirits of encroachers and other illegal usurpers of forest land knowing the inherent weaknesses in the administration and working of the Forest Department. Why are there gross deficiencies in records and negligible transparency in the availability of information and when actually would those be resolved ? Has a time bound programme been formulated and a proper plan made to be executed, if not, the reasons may be made known. Allowing exits and loopholes in the existing system of running the department continuing to get more complex and intricate in controlling, has even led people filing PILs in courts with intent to save forests and its animal and other wealth. Moreover, strict observations and directions from the court appear to have not moved the Forest authorities in setting things right. In fact, all these things happen, even to the extent of disregarding court directives because of the absence of establishment of accountability. In other words , hold the top authorities accountable and responsible and any recklessness and dereliction of the official duty treated seriously. That would result in moving of things fast. Such state of affairs continue because there was no system of ”whose job” and ”whose duty” and ”why arrears or work incomplete” in this department . In short, vigorous follow up like measures are required to get things done. Merely issuing “strong worded circulars and reminders” are losing sheen and purpose unless backed by seriously fixing accountability
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