Encroachers told to vacate forestland

Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Choudhary Lal Singh today asked the encroachers to voluntarily vacate forestland at Bermeeni in the Sunjwan area, particularly the land identified for establishment of public facilities and development of park.
This was stated by the minister after inspecting the forestland at Bermeeni in Sunjwan here today.
Senior officers of forests, SFC, soil and water conservation, pollution control board and forest protection force accompanied the minister. Choudhary Lal Singh warned the illegal occupants to vacate the encroached forestland voluntarily or face legal action as the government was planning to construct forest department offices and recreational parks in these areas.
The minister directed officers to demarcate and ensure fencing of government forestlands in Sunjwan to prevent encroachments. He asked them to take up plantation of ornamental and fruit plants and develop view points. Choudhary Lal Singh said the government had set up a demarcation committee for cracking down on “heavy weight encroachers”.
He said a five-member panel headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu, would deal with the encroachment and eviction of forestlands in Sunjwan, Bathindi, Raika and Sidhra areas in Jammu. Choudhary Lal Singh said retrieving encroached land was the mission of the government and directed the Conservator of Forest to ensure the demarcation of forestland besides starting the process of the evictions as per Forest Act. He said several colonies had come up illegally on encroached forestlands in Sidhra, Nagorta, Bhatindi, Bajalta, Raika Sunjwan and Chowadi belts in Jammu city.
Later, the minister also inspected the ongoing construction works on the forest complex near Qasim Nagar and the SFC timber sale depot in the Bahu area.
He directed the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) to complete the construction work on the forest complex at the Bahu area near Qasim Nagar.