Jammu and Kashmir government retrieves over 45 acres of forest land in Kishtwar

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir government has retrieved over 45 acres of forest land from 73 encroachers in Kishtwar district and registered cases against them.

"A total of 367.05 kanals (over 45 acres) of forest land encroached by 73 forest encroachers was retrieved in Kishtwar and cases against them were registered under relevant sections of the J-K Forest Act", a senior Forest department officer said.

Officials of Kishtwar Forest Division had been carrying out a major operation against forest encroachers during the past few days.

"Special teams were constituted under direct supervision of DFO (Divisional Forest Officer) Kishtwar for clearing forest encroachment in Kishtwar, Nagseni and Padder areas", he said.

As many as 57 kanals of forest land was retrieved from encroachers in Patnazi, Nali, Kither and Binoon villages, the officer said, adding that 89 kanals of such land was retrieved in Piyas, Cherji and Bronth villages of Nagseni range.

Similarly, 221.05 kanals of forest land was retrieved from encroachers in Garh and Hango-Haloti villages falling under Padder area of the district, he said.

Around 1,344.31 kanals (168 acres) of encroached forest land has been retrieved in Kishtwar Forest Division falling in Kishtwar district from March 2015 till date.

The forest officials have been organizing various awareness camps in different parts of the Kishtwar Forest Division against encroachments.