Jammu, May 19 : Jammu and Kashmir Forest Minister Javed Ahmed Rana on Tuesday ordered a probe into an anti-encroachment drive carried out by the Forest Department in the Raika Bandi forest belt on the outskirts of Jammu city, alleging excesses during the operation.
Police and Forest Department teams on Tuesday demolished over 30 structures and retrieved nearly 60 kanals of forest land in the lower Shivalik range area, officials said.
Reacting to the operation, Rana said he had directed an inquiry into the role of the Forest Department and would request Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take action against police personnel allegedly involved in excesses during the drive.
“I will request the Lieutenant Governor to order registration of an FIR against police officers for excesses committed against people,” Rana told reporters.
He alleged that force was used during the operation and claimed people were not allowed to offer prayers.
The minister said the affected families had been residing in the area for decades and asserted that the matter should be handled sensitively.
“These people have been living here for the past fifty years. Such incidents have no place in a civil society,” he said.
Rana also claimed that, according to revenue records available to him, the land belonged to the residents and was not under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department.
Appealing for calm, the minister assured the affected families that rehabilitation measures would be taken and compensation provided for losses suffered during the drive.
“I would like to instruct people to remain calm and maintain restraint. Your losses will be compensated and those responsible for causing damage will be brought to justice through due legal process,” he said.
He said the Tribal Affairs Department would take steps for rehabilitation of the affected families.
Officials, however, said the anti-encroachment drive was part of an ongoing campaign to remove illegal structures from forest land and reclaim government property.(KNS).
