12-acre Forest Department land vacated in Balachaur

Nawanshahr, July 8

Under a drive initiated by the Forest and Wildlife Department against illegal occupants, a 12-acre land was vacated in Bachhua village falling under the Nawanshahr Forest Division today.

Nawanshahr Divisional Forest Officer Satinder Singh said in coordination with the district administration and with the help of ‘Total Survey Station’ (digital measurement), the department demarcated the land and later acquired it and planted saplings there.

He said as per the directions of RK Mishra, Principal Chief Forest Officer Hills (Head of the forest force); Basanta Raj Kumar, Chief Forest Conservator Hills; and K Kanan, Conservator Shivalik Circle; a case under the Public Premises (Eviction of unauthorised occupants) Act was filed in the court of Balachaur SDM to vacate the land from three illegal occupants.

After getting the decision in favour of the Forest Department in the case of possession warrant, another petition was filed with the Revenue Tehsildar to get the land freed from the encroachers.

On Friday, after completing all formalities, the land was taken under possession by the department in the presence of the district police and district administration, said Satinder Singh.

The Divisional Forest Officer further said earlier, the department had cleared encroachment of about 250-acre forest land in the Nawanshahr Forest Division from illegal occupants. He said as per the directions of the state government, the department would continue the drive against other illegal occupants in the coming days.

He asked all illegal occupants on the Forest Department lands to vacate these lands immediately otherwise stern legal action would be taken against them.

He thanked the Deputy Commissioner of the district, Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa, SSP Sandeep Kumar Sharma and Balachaur SDM Suba Singh for their help.