SRINAGAR: In a major anti-encroachment operation on the outskirts of Jammu, authorities on Tuesday demolished around 20 to 30 illegal structures and reclaimed nearly 60 kanals of prime forest land in the Mahamaya forest belt, officials claimed.
The joint operation was carried out by officials of the forest department, Forest Protection Force, revenue department and the police to remove alleged encroachments from forest areas in the lower Shivalik range.
Reports appearing in media quoted officials saying that the drive continued for nearly three to four hours despite resistance from alleged encroachers. Most of the demolished structures were kaccha constructions spread across the Raika Bandi forest belt.
According to officials, the reclaimed land is worth crores of rupees and forms part of ecologically sensitive forest zones around Jammu city.
The affected families staged protests against the demolition drive, terming the action “unjustified”. They alleged that the authorities had carried out the operation without prior notice.
Officials, however, maintained that illegal constructions in the area had increased rapidly over the past few years.
“There were hardly a few structures in the Mahamaya forest belt five to six years ago, but now scores of illegal structures have come up while new constructions continue,” one official was quoted as having told the media.
Authorities said the forest department would now undertake mapping of tribal settlements and other habitations in forest areas across Jammu to prevent further encroachments.
“All such areas will be photographed and videographed and records will be uploaded on official websites after verification of documents,” an official said, adding that no further encroachment on forest land would be allowed.
Earlier, in Samba district, authorities demolished 33 illegal structures, including alleged “narco mahals”, during a joint anti-drug and anti-encroachment drive in the Bari Brahmana area under the “Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir” campaign.
Police said nearly 50 kanals of government land worth around Rs 60 crore were reclaimed during the operation led by Anuj Kumar. Officials claimed several structures were linked to narcotics traffickers and were allegedly being used for storing and distributing heroin.
