Major attempt to grab forest land in Rajouri
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Oct 7: A Forester and a Beat Guard were placed under suspension after some people tried to grab major chunk of Forest Department land in Compartment No. 39 near Bathuni in Rajouri Forest Range last night.
The land grabbers also attacked the Forest party including FPF men and escaped with seized JCB from a nearby Forest department office mid night. Two employees sustained injuries during stoning by the land grabbers.
Official sources said that at around 12 mid night, some people along with a JCB entered into Forest land at Dalogra and started felling trees and making road through thick forest. They felled many trees and made about 300 meters road. The attempt of a local NC leader was to grab some forest land and also make road to some houses in the nearby hamlet in violation of law and without informing Forest department. The land grabbers said to have felled more than fifty trees of pine (cheerh) and other species so far.
Some people informed the Chief Conservator of Forests in Jammu about the matter late in the evening. Conservator of Forests, West Circle was also out of station. It was also informed that this exercise was going on calendestinely for the last few days but JCB was used only last evening. The CCF Jammu, Sameer Bharti directed the Conservator of Forests, Jammu West Circle, Jitender Singh and DFO Rajouri Mushtaq Choudhary to take note of the issue and act swiftly.
The Forest team from Rajouri, assisted by Forest Protection Force men rushed to the site during mid night and they stopped the work. They also had to face tough resistance from about two dozen people at the site. The team seized the JCB and brought it to Bathuni Forest office. After some time, a large number of people along with a local former Sarpanch arrived there and attacked the Forest staff and escaped with the seized JCB. Two guards were injured in the attack.
Conservator of Forests, Jitender Singh when contacted since his field staff did not intimate about the violation in Forest Land at Dalogra in Compt. No. 39 going on for the past some time. Both the Forester concerned Ghulam Hussain Mirza and Beat Guard, Mohd Shabir have been placed under suspension. He said that DFO has been directed to lodge FIR against the accused persons. Some of them have been identified . The CF claimed that a local leader Zahid Iqbal, his son Parvez were said to be the main people behind this whole episode. JCB belongs to one Mohd Latief and its number has also been traced. The action under law will be taken against them.
Conservator further said the land grabbers chosen the time when he and DFO are deployed on election duty and Range Officer has gone on leave due to marriage of his son. He said JCB will be seized and accused taken to task. Action will be taken if any other Forest employee was found connived with the accused persons.
CCF Jammu, Sameer Bharti, however said, an inquiry by FPF and Territorial Forest officials has been ordered into the matter. Forester and Beat Guard have been suspended and legal action will follow with the lodging of an FIR. Bharti said that he has directed the DFO Rajouri, Mushtaq Choudhary to fence the area being grabbed by these people.
SHO, Rajouri, Insp Tahir Khan when contacted said so far no such complaint has been received from Forest department Rajouri. He said the police will take cognizance of the mater as and when the FIR is lodged in this connection.
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