SRINAGAR: Taking full advantage of the current unrest miscreants have occupied thousands of kanals of state and forest land in Tangmarg while land grabbers after raising trees to ground in Haritar, Kaniyar and Tarzoo nurseries of Sopore town have created residential huts, a fact admitted by government officials. Locals from Tangmarg area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district told news agency CNS that vested interest elements have occupied forest and state land comprising of thousands of kanals at Drung area. They said that these vested interest elements in connivance with some officials have created fencing around the land.
“The ongoing encroachment and construction of illegal structures is going unnoticed as authorities are unable to attend duties due to restrictions and shutdown. We brought the issue into the notice of district administration who informed that action will be taken against the land grabbers, but till date no action has been initiated against them,” the locals said.
Meanwhile, taking undue advantage of prevailing law and order situation in Kashmir, land mafia in different areas of Apple Town Sopore have occupied nurseries and have uprooted hundreds of trees. According to locals land grabbers and Kanyari, Haritaar and Tarzoo areas of Sopore town have occupied nurseries and have raised illegal structures there. “The respectable citizens from these areas tried to stop these vested interest people, but they didn’t budge as they have backing of some top political leaders,” said a government teacher to CNS.
“It is painful to see hundreds of uprooted trees in these nurseries. After clearing the land from trees these land grabbers raise temporary sheds and as time passes temporary sheds into permanent ones,” said a contractor. Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr Nasir Naqash admitted that state and forest land have been grabbed by the some people. “Yes, it is true that some people take undue advantage of situation and construct illegal structures or try to encroach upon the land. We have made our enforcement teams active in the field and directed them to demolish any structure coming up illegally,” he said adding that it is the responsibility of the people to make administration aware about such happenings so that government could take proper action.