SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has revealed that an area of 19501.87 hectares of forest land in J&K Union Territory has been encroached.
The Minister of Incharge Forest, Ecology and Environment department was responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Dr Narinder Singh during an Assembly session.
Of the total forest land under encroachment, 5891.49 hectares of forest land is in Kashmir while the rest in Jammu region.
The minister said the department has initiated numerous steps to retrieve the encroached forest land.
“The detailed surveys and demarcation of forest boundaries are being carried out to identify the encroachments. Notices are issued to the encroachers under Section 79(A) of Indian Forests Act, 1927 directing them to vacate the encroached land,” the minister said.
The minister further said eviction drives are being conducted by the Forest department to eradicate encroachment. “After eviction, the retrieved land is fenced, planted with indigenous species and restored to its original forest status to prevent re-encroachment”.
As per the minister, the increase in vigil over the forest area is being jointly carried out by territorial and Forest Protection Force to foil any new attempt on encroachment of forest land.“Technology including remote sensing GPS drones, etc is being used for protection of forest land,” added the minister.