Social Forestry Land Encroached in Akhnoor; Revenue Department’s Inaction Fuels Resentment

Illegal Path Construction Damages Forest Area, Undermines Government’s Green Initiatives

• Former Sarpanch Kashmir Singh is accused of encroaching upon Social Forestry land in Gharkhal, Akhnoor, to construct a stone crusher.
•  Local residents, led by former Sarpanch Kuldeep Singh, have appealed to authorities about the encroachment and the destruction of trees, but action has been slow.
•  The Revenue Department’s delay in demarcation has fuelled resentment among locals, highlighting a potential lack of urgency in protecting government land.
•  The incident raises concerns about lawlessness and the apparent disregard for environmental protection in the region, prompting calls for accountability and action against those responsible.

jj correspondent

Akhnoor, June 05: A blatant case of land encroachment involving a former Sarpanch and the apparent inaction of Revenue officials is raising serious concerns about the state of lawlessness in Jammu and Kashmir.
Kashmir Singh, a former Sarpanch of Gharkhal, is accused of encroaching upon Social Forestry land (Wood Lot Nursery) in Gharkhal, Akhnoor, to facilitate the construction of a stone crusher. Despite lacking access to his own land, he has allegedly cut down trees and encroached upon the protected forest area to create a path to his proposed crusher site.
This blatant disregard for the law and the environment has angered local residents, who allege that Kashmir Singh has managed to manipulate land records many times to classify the area from Darya Burd to Vrayl Aavl and finally as “Banjar Qadeem” (barren land) to suit his intentions.
On May 18, 2024, local residents led by former Sarpanch Kuldeep Singh of Gharkhal and Sidharwan wrote to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jammu, expressing their concerns about the encroachment and demanding action. The letter highlighted the government’s 1992 acquisition of the land from local residents for Social Forestry, promising 75% share to the community and 25% to the government.
Following the complaint, the Range Officer, Social Forestry, Akhnoor, wrote to the Tehsildar Akhnoor on May 30, 2024, under letter No. 33-35/SFR/Akh, seeking demarcation of the encroached land. However, the Tehsildar forwarded the request to the Naib Tehsildar, leaving residents frustrated by the delay.
“If the Revenue authorities acted promptly, such encroachments would be stopped,” lamented a local resident. “Unfortunately, they take ages to demarcate these lands, leaving the government land vulnerable to the whims of encroachers.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Mr. Rahul, Block Officer of Social Forestry, revealed that the encroached area indeed belonged to Social Forestry and that they had attempted to stop the illegal construction. However, Kashmir Singh allegedly managed to circumvent their efforts, forcing them to appeal to higher authorities for intervention.
Social Forestry has also written to the Police Chowki Gharkhal, requesting an FIR. Police in charge, PSI Anil Manhas, confirmed that he has forwarded the request to Revenue authorities for demarcation.
This blatant disregard for the law and the environment raises serious questions about the effectiveness of governance in Jammu and Kashmir. Has lawlessness increased to the point where encroachers feel emboldened to usurp government land without fear of consequence?
The apparent inaction of the Revenue Department and the delays in demarcation processes further exacerbate the situation, leaving valuable resources and the environment vulnerable to exploitation.
The residents of Gharkhal and Sidharwan remain hopeful that the authorities will take decisive action to stop the encroachment, restore the damaged forest area, and hold the responsible individuals accountable for their actions. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for proactive measures to protect government land, safeguard the environment, and ensure the rule of law prevails in Jammu and Kashmir.