‘Const of road without forest clearance’
Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Oct 10: Forest Department employees from Range Office Mendhar today held protest demonstration against Mendhar Sub Divisional Administration and local police for allegedly helping contractor and other villagers involved in the construction of a road through forest, without taking mandatory clearance from the J&K Forest authorities.
Official sources said that Forest team from Mendhar led by Range Officer, Mohd Salim along with other employees seized a JCB involved in illegal construction of a road alignment through forest at Sailani village in Mankote area of Mendhar. During night, the contractor, a close relative of DDC member along with some people took away JCB and the work was again restarted forcefully. But when the Forest staff again tried to stop the work it was allegedly attacked by a mob of villagers.
The Forest officials alleged that when they approached SDM and SHO Mendhar and sought help but they were provided no assistance. Officials said that construction work is being done by PWD in Sailani village and that road was going through forest land. He said on the basis of information, Range officer including Forester, Guards of the area reached the spot along with Protection Force. A case was also registered under the Forest Act.
Range Officer accused SDM Mendhar and said that he threatened him and asked to ‘stay away from this work, otherwise your job will be in trouble’. He also alleged that people again pelted stone on forest staff when they along with some members of commission set up by SDM reached the area today. He alleged that pressure was being exerted on Forest staff by the local administration for construction of this illegal road for which agency has not sought forest clearance from the concerned authorities.
After this Forest employees sat on dharna in Forest complex and held strong protest against Mendhar administration. They were raising slogans SDM, Tehsildar and police.
SDM Mendhar Jahangir Khan when contacted denied the allegation of threats raised by the RO Mendhar and said that he has set up a Joint Commission for Nishandehi. SDM said he has nothing to do with the construction or allotment of work. They should go by the Forest Act, he added.
While Conservator of Forests, West Circle, Vivek Verma said that he was not aware of the matter, DFO Poonch Suresh Manda said that construction agency PWD has not applied for Forest clearance so far. It is mandatory for any agency. He said they have to apply on line and will get permission maximum by two months. DFO said his staff was attacked by some villagers when they had gone with the commission set up by SDM. He claimed that senior Forest officials have been informed about the development.
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