Jammu: 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 in Sidhra, Jammu, while J&K Forest Minister Javed Ahmed Rana ordered a probe into the drive.
The drive was carried out by the Forest Department in the Raika Bandi forest belt on the outskirts of Jammu city.
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.
And those whose homes were demolished are not ready to buy Rana’s remarks.
“Whom he is trying to fool? He is Forest Minister, his teams with arrogant Police personnel demolished our homes. Where was he? What he says now is all drama, they are doing it, Omar Abdullah is doing it, Rana is doing it. They cant fool us anymore,” said a victim.
“They kill you. They destroy your homes and then come up with condemnations. All drama. They are hand-in-glove with the forces who want us to be homeless,” said another victim.
Blood stains are on their (NC) hands. They may try to hide these but we all know now how they are facilitating homelessness of Gujjaras, said one more victim.
Meanwhile, Forest Minister Rana told reporters that he will request the Lieutenant Governor to order registration of an FIR against police officers for excesses committed against people,”
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.
