In the backyard of Raj Bhawan, the seat of government in Jammu and Kashmir, influential land grabbers have encroached on the city forest land to the tune of 2000 Kanals in Brian-Nishat Conservation reserve.
According to the well-placed sources in the forest and wildlife departments of Srinagar, influential land grabbers and political heavyweights including former ministers both from PDP and NC, former senior bureaucrats are said to be involved in the encroachment of city forest land.
The sources revealed that the biggest chunk of city forest has been encroached on by two persons (300 Kanals) and (200 Kanals) respectively. They are followed by a former minister of PDP who has encroached on 54 Kanals. Furthermore, a former NC legislator has encroached on 40 Kanals of forest land.
All these influential encroachers’ have breached the natural forest boundary or known as “Qadeem Hadbast” in the local parlance, of what was formerly recognized as Salim Ali National Park right from Krala Sangri through Pohlu, Astan-Pora, Daan-Pora, up to the Dachigam National Park. Although the locals have also encroached on a huge chunk of land, the majority of the encroached city forest land lies with influential people.
Many of these encroachers have raised concrete structures over their land, including a five-star hotel namely Qayam Gah built by Mohammad Yousuf Chapri. Some of the locals in the area alleged that officials from the wildlife, LCMA, and Forest departments have been in league with these illegal encroachers, many of whom have raised concrete constructions. However, there is no doubt that the concerned government officials and departments have portrayed negligence and been lax with the encroachers.
This becomes apparent from a letter in possession of Kashmir Despatch under number WLWC/Estt/2020-21/787-89, dated July 22, 2020. According to this letter shot by Wildlife Warden central division Srinagar to vice chairman LAWDA the Wildlife department sought the demolition of illegal construction raised by Mubarak Gul’s son at Brian-Nishat Conservation reserve.
While stating that the unauthorized concrete structure falls within the Brain-Nishat wildlife conservation reserve, the letter mentioned the following: “The Range Officer Dachigam has reported that one Shri Younis Gul Son of Mubarak Gul has again started the construction at Dossani Nala, Bonigam Shalimar. You are requested to kindly take cognizance of the issue please.”
Eventually, Younis Gul managed to raise the structure—so did many others. Many structures have been raised on encroached forest land on the upper side of the Dachigam-Nishat Water Canal that serves nearly four lakh residents of Srinagar City and is designated no construction zone.
Surprisingly, there is a proposal to build a motorable road, which has been put forth by the former Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole. One of the whistle-blowers on this matter said that “apart from further devastating the flora and fauna of this forest conserve area, the construction of the road will pave way for more encroachment of city forest land.”
With the government promising to spare the poor during this renewed anti-encroachment drive and making the influential its sole target, it remains to be seen what action would follow, especially when these encroachments have transpired at a stone’s throw from the government seat, the Raj Bhawan.
