SRINAGAR: Forest officials in central Kashmir’s Budgam district Thursday demolished various illegal structures in an anti-encroachment drive. An official of the Forest Department said that miscreants, taking advantage of the prevailing circumstances, had raised several illegal structures in Tosamaidan and grabbed forest land in Brass village of Arizal area of the district.
“Our men swung into action as we received complaints of encroachment. There were 14 khotas erected in Tosamaidan which were demolished by our field staff in a three-day-long anti-encroachment drive besides two khotas were demolished at Padhastar area of Doodhganga range,” he said. “We have seized 20 cubic ft of timber and confiscated two horses during past few weeks and a team of field staff have been mobilized in all the forest ranges of the district to check for more encroachments,” the official said.