Tehsildar’s Office Under Scrutiny as Khair Wood Scandal Escalates in Thandi Choi

Forest Land Plunder: Officials Stalling Illegal Khair Wood Felling Inquiry?

Illegal Khair Wood Felling: Why Revenue Officials Delay Final Report Submission?

• Final stage of the illegal Khair wood felling inquiry hindered by revenue officials’ dilly-dallying.
•  Despite ongoing demarcation, sources estimate more than 2000 Khair wood trees cut illegally from forest land.
•  DFO Jammu asks Tehsildar to give in writing about illegal entries; He has talked to DC Jammu who will expunge the entries from revenue records
•  SDM Khour assures action once informed, then why Tehsildar is delaying forest land delineation.
• Concerned authority was approached for comments on Saturday who assured to get back with details on Monday; today we tried to contact him but he did not pick our phone

jj correspondent

Jammu, January 22: The investigation into the rampant illegal felling of Khair Wood Trees in Thandi Choi has reached its final stage, awaiting the submission of the conclusive report from revenue officials. However, concerns arise as revenue officials are allegedly causing delays in the final submission, leaving the exact count of felled trees from forest land pending.
Sources, while citing the ongoing demarcation of forest land, estimate that more than 2000 Khair Wood Trees have been illegally cut from the said area. Range Forest Officer Akhnoor, Mohd Rafiq (JKFS), has taken cognizance of this issue and addressed Tehsildar Kharah Balli through a letter (No l133/KDR dated 12/12/2023). The letter emphasizes the need for demarcating the forest boundary, as mandated by a High Court order, to determine the legality of Khair Wood extraction.
In the letter, Rafiq requests the delineation of the forest boundary for specific Khasra Numbers, namely 379, 385, 386, 212, 213, and 383. Despite this request, the Tehsil authority appears to be dragging its feet over the delineation process, raising questions about the delay and the reasons behind it.
DFO, Jammu, when contacted, expressed concern over the sluggish pace of action from the revenue authorities.
He told Jammu Jottings that he has asked the concerned tehsildar to give him in writing about the illegal entries adding he has talked to DC Jammu who has assured that such illegal entries would be expunged/deleted from revenue records immediately.
He highlighted the urgent need for Tehsildar to identify and declare illegal entries in the revenue records, following which punitive actions could be initiated through the district magistrate. The DFO hopes for cooperation from the revenue authorities to retrieve the illegally occupied forest land.
Concerned authority was approached by Jammu Jottings for comments on Saturday who assured us to get back with details on Monday; However today when we tried to contact him repeatedly, he did not pick our phone.
Surprisingly, individuals involved in these illegal entries and the illicit felling of Khair Wood Trees are still at large, evading any punitive actions. The SDM Khour, Anil Chouhan, expressed unawareness of the developments and assured prompt action once the matter is brought to his notice. He asserted the authority to declare forest land occupied through illegal revenue record entries as illegal and expunge them from records.
The statements from the DFO and SDM raise concerns about misguidance or hesitancy within the Tehsildar’s office, contributing to the prolonged government inaction. This situation is reminiscent of a larger issue, as thousands of Kanals of forest land have been similarly entered into private persons’ revenue records in various parts of Jammu.
In a precedent set by the then Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Sushma Chouhan, 4945 Kanals, 12 Marlas of forest land were expunged from revenue records in Sunjwan, Tehsil Jammu, vide Order No. DCJ/SQ/illeg-entries/ 4454-57, dated 15/02/2022.
Several questions beg urgent answers: Who is obstructing the inquiry into illegal felling in Thandi Choi? Is subordinate staff misguiding Tehsildar Kharah Balli? Why are illegal Girdawari entries of forest land not being expunged? What causes the hesitancy in demarcating forest land? The Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) to DC Jammu has issued numerous orders for expunging illegal entries; then, why do illegal entries persist under Tehsil Kharah Balli?
A swift intervention by DC Jammu is crucial to direct Tehsildar Kharah Balli to expunge all illegal entries on forest land and bring those responsible to justice.