Illegal constructions on forest land
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 14: The Jhelum valley Forest Division in Baramulla district has issued large number of sanctions of timber besides allowed illegal constructions in the forest division to the people living outside forest zone.
Misusing the provision under Forest Department for issuance of timber, standing dry or fallen trees, to the people residing within the periphery of forests and in inaccessible areas, they have issued it to people living outside forest areas. The timber is issued to people in the areas where no forest sale depot facility is available and it is being issued to the people direct from forests under Jammu and Kashmir Forest notice on concessional rates.
And under this garb, timber was sanctioned under Kashmir Notice by the officials of the Forest Division to people who don’t fall under this category. Sources said that the timber was illegally sanctioned in all the four territorial ranges of Baramulla, Doabgah , Uri and Boniyar under Kashmir Notice in favour of the people mostly residing away from such demarcated areas.
In Doabgah Forest range one such Kashmir Notice was issued in favour of Mohammad Ayoub Malik son of Abdul Ahad Malik resident of Drangbal Baramulla. The allotment order issued by Range Officer Doabgah (No. 02-C/ 2018-19) read: “One Kail fallen dia 40-45 cm comptt 2 / Khadinyar issued wide DFO JV’s order No DFO/ JVL / L/ 2018-19/ 523 Dt 10/10/2018 Outturn volume = 48CFT. 10% on cost 15799 = standard Rate 1580=Amount recovered rupees one thousand and five hundred eighty only.”
The area, Drangbal, is at a distance of 2 kilometers from Baramulla town having forest sale depot facility at Khadniyar and house mentioned in the sanction order is located at Mohalla of Drangbal.
In adopting similar procedure, at village Kamber Rafiabad, Kashmir Notice was issued to one Mohammad Shafi Khan resident of Kamber Rafiabad who has been illegally allowed to construct a residential house on forest land by the forest officials. The allotment order (No-2-C/2018-19) issued by Range Officer Doabgah read: “One Kail fallen dia 40-45 cm comptt 7/homel issued wide DFO JV’s order No DFO/ JV/1/2018-19/1542 Dt 12/10/2018 Outturn volume = 48CFT. 10% on cost 15799 = standard Rate 1580 = Amount recovered rupees one thousand and five hundred eighty only.”
After the investigations ordered by District Administration, Tehsildar Rohama (vide his No: 378/ ROQ dated 27-11-2018) found that the land on which illegitimate construction (raised by Mohammad Shafi Khan) was going on falls beyond the boundary line (Biruni Deh) which itself reflects that it is forest land.
The Divisional Forest Officer of JV Forest Division later ordered (DFO/ JV/ Estt/ Ench/ 2018-19/ 1245-53 dated 15-12-2018) dismantling of the house raised by Shafi Khan on Forest land. “As such, you are hereby directed to proceed on spot along with Assistant Director FPF Baramulla in liaison with Executive Magistrate (Tehsildar Rohama) along with Station House Officer Panzala for dismantling of the under construction residential house being constructed by Mohammad Shafi Khan S/o Hussain Khan R/o Kamber at the foot hills of compartment 6/Hamal Forest block Khanmoh”, read the order.
Such kind of sanction of timber under Kashmir Notice to the undeserving people has been issued in Baramulla Forest Range, Kandi Nowgam forest block in Zamboor Patten Uri range and Lagama Forest block, Doabgah Range, Khadniyar, Kahmoh blocks and in Boniyar Range Payeen Forest block.
In majority of the cases only Rs 1580 (diameter 40-50 centimeters) as a cost of tree was recovered and remitted in the Government treasury.
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