Last Updated on March 15, 2021 at 3:38 pm
There are allegations that the Revenue Department in Mendhar of Poonch has allotted a forest land for industrial use which is in total violation of the Forest Act.
The Forest Department received a complaint on 4 March 2021 mentioning illegal construction on demarcated forest land in village Bera, Salwah Beat of Salwah Forest Block, Mendhar. The forest field staff immediately stopped the construction work and told them to submit required documents for further work. Field staff also told parties to not initiate any construction further before the issue gets settled.
Parties again started construction work on 5 March 2021 on demarcated forest land in khasra No. 313 ignoring orders. Local public again complained to forest staff mentioning that illegal construction is being done on forest land. Mohan Choudhary, IFS Divisional Forest Officer Poonch, instructed Range officer Mendhar and other forest field staff along with concerned Naib Tehsildar Mendhar to immediately visit the spot for verification of status of land according to records.
Engaged parties have again tried to forcefully start the construction work of industry compound wall on forest area through a JCB machine. The local public has also expressed their resentment against the contractor and revenue department for allotting forest land violating rules.
Revenue records show that latha/Aks of khasra no. 313 area which is of size 153 kanal village Bera clearly show forest demarcation boundary line and are recorded as Ghair-Mumkin Jaar in RoR 1961-62. It can be also shown in demarcation file of forest that land is forest land and forest demarcation Boundary pillar number 5,6,7,8,9,10,11 & 12 are going through khasra no. 313, which matches with Aks/Tatima of the revenue department.
Unexpectedly RoR 1961-62 khasra no. 313 is recorded as Sarkar, maqbooja mehkama-maal with kism as Ghair-Mumkin Jaad with latha/Aks which are clearly showing demarcated forest and a red boundary line passing through said khasra. A retired revenue officer said that apparently either RoR has been tempered or there has been a mistake in mentioning it as mehkama-maal with kism as Ghair-Mumkin Jaad because mehkama-maal entry comes for such area for revenue offices or muhafis khana only. There is no point of mehkama-maal with kism of land as Ghair-Mumkin Jaad.
Tehsildar Mendhar said that he has submitted his report to higher authorities and they will take a final decision in this matter.
