Jahangir Lolabi
Srinagar, Jun 3: (GNS) Forest department Wednesday claimed to have aborted an encroachment bid to the forest land whilst retrieval of several kanals of forest land at Pahalgam of south-Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
A department official while talking to GNS said that, on the directions of Divisional Forest Officer, Lidder Forest Division, Mehraj Ahmad, a team under Range Officer Pahalgam Haji Mohammad Altaf aborted an attempt to encroach the forest land in compartment 14/AC.
The land, as per the official, was encroached upon decades ago and was evicted last month only.
Alleging that the eviction party was physically assaulted and abused by the encroachers, the official said that upon resistance from the offenders, immediate help was sought from Sub-divsional Magistrate Pahalgam.
Soon after arrival of the sought-for team, an anti-encroachment drive was launched which, as per the official, successfully helped in retrieval of around 10 kanals of forest land at Frislana village of Pahalgam Range.
The culprits, as per the official, were booked under relevant sections of the law.
Pertinent to mention here, that the Lidder Forest Division Employees in Pahalgam are ever-vigilant and this drive against the encroachers is being hailed as a ‘massive achievement’ in social and public circles.
Meanwhile, Conservator of Forests South-circle, Tawheed Ahmed Deva and Divisional Forest Officer Lidder Division, Mehraj Ahmed have applauded the role of Range officer Pahalgam and Employees of Forests And Pahalgam Development Authority for the timely action. (GNS)