POONCH TODAY EDIT 4 POONCH, 16-31 MAY, 2016 POONCH TODAY -------------------------------------------- From the Editor Desk Death warrants for Environment -------------------------------------------- Power crisis and Forests by S.D.M Mendhar can be reduced Illegal Mutation of Bhata Dhurian Forest Nursery in favour of M.L.C with Mini power Forest Department Poonch ejected from ownership & Possession BY TABASSUM M. SAIF Mughal (1994-97) took up the Environment including For- Equilibrium. all concerned high ranking cases regarding connivance ests, Lakes, Rivers and Wild- The Volunteer Organization authorities and the matter was projects part of forest land and complicity of revenue Life and to have compassion received a blow of Shock over recently again taken up with under compartment staff with the Sarpanch who for living Creatures. silence by the Govt. on such president Chief Conservator &K has huge power generation capacity and if A No.155/Mendhar com- had been recording a fictitious The Roll of Pir Panchal an alarming issue for over of Forest and Commissioner used properly, the state can earn huge besides prising survey No.764 situated and fraudulent entry showing Environment and Eco-Dev. 28 years. The President M.B Secretary Forest Department in Village Bhata Dhoorian, possession of interested/influ- Socirty (V.O) remained com- Mughal on disappointment under the subject “ Ejectment Jgiving full respite to the people of the state but no Tehsil Mendhar measuring ten ential party vide his Office mendable and highly appre- and under frustration decided of Forest Department from sound policy was made ever by successive regimes. kanals two marlas enjoying Letter No.1858-71 dated ciable right from beginning. to approach State Vigilance custodianship of Forest land But now, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, has decided over head irrigation facilities 15-12-1994 requesting cancel- Its founder and D.F.O Organization S.V.O.J and by an encroacher of Mend- to utilize Prime Ministers’ power package of Rs.2,000 on Jammu-Poonch road was lation of false Girdawari which retired M.B. Mughal who is travelled all the way from har Tehsil” under No.100- being maintained by Forest ought to have been recorded in committed to preservation of HQ Poonch to Jammu on hot 104 dated 16-05-2010 with crores. In fact the coalition Government has been Department Poonch as a forest favour of the Forest Depart- Natural Environment could and humid days of July 2007 reminder under No 131-135/11 awakened by the growing peoples’ resentment over Nursery for raising lanting ment. The D.F.O Sh. Mughal not tolerate the issuance of to discuss the serious matter dated 30-12-2011 but no solid prolonged outings. Yes, the state Government can- stocks of different economical simultaneously informed the enjoying the status of Distt. death warrants to Environment with competent authorities. A and appropriate action was not do anything after other states refused to release species over since the time of higher authorities including MLC by then. and Forests. Immediately after complaint was instituted in taken in the matter of alarm- settlement of 1961-62. Mas- principal Chief Conservator of Under the light of facts knowledge about the pathetic writing before the then S.S.P ing nature till this date. additional power to Jammu and Kashmir. The matter sive and Mislssal-i-Haqyat Forests and divisional Com- mentioned in aforesaid story, he swung in to action Vigilance who promised to As all options stand should have been sorted about 12 years ago but the are solid proofs. Whereas the missioner Jammu in writing. paras,it is evident that the and brought the matter in the take action in the matter. exhausted, all Govt. doors Government slept over the matter and at one time physical possession of the said Despite Sincere efforts High Ranking KAS Officer notice of all forest officers It seems intriguing to men- stand knocked but found forest nursery on spot was and repeated requests during entered into a criminal con- including the then Pr. Chief tion that no action seems to closed. The only option left during the Congress led UPA Government the state vested with forest department a series of meetings with the spiracy with M.L.C Ikhlaq Conservator of Forests A.R have been initiated by state with NGO is knocking the used to get Rs.1300 crores for purchasing additional Poonch,nevertheless the pat- then D.C who turned a deaf Khan with malafide intention Khan IFS, Commissioner/ vigilance organization despite doors of Justice by moving power from the national grid. And the successive state waris of Revenue Department ear to the request of the Forest and ulterior motives and went Secretary Forest Department lapse of over 5years which Hon’ble High Court of J&K Governments felt satisfied without taking any step for posted in the area remained Department. out of jurisdiction in so far as J&K Govt., Divisional Com- has not only conveyed wrong Bench Jammu through PIL instrumental in recording On the contrary a KAS illegal mutation of forest land missioner Jammu, and Deputy signals to the community and Adequate documentary proof increasing power generation. And before taking over fake,fictitious and fraudulent Officer during his posting is concerned. The officer thus Commissioner Poonch. public at large but green sig- lies with president of V.O. as Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti would rake up the Girdawaris secretly in the in Mendhar Tehsil as S.D.M changed the status of Forest In addition to above the nals to the Forest encroachers, Now since the deep/black issue of restoration of two major power projects, run name of a local sarpanch with Mendhar entered into a crimi- Land as state land in posses- then Hon’ble Minister for Trespassers and Land Mafia clouds of uncertainty have and maintained by the NHPC, to the state sector which malice and ulterior motives nal conspiracy with so called sion of M.L.C and transferred Environment and Forest, Vigi- on one hand and to the conniv- shattered and bad weather has so as to entitle the interested local occupant and without proprietary Rights upon the lance Commissioner Jammu ing Revenue and forest offi- changed favorably because the could have been done as a major concession from party for mutation and owner- N.O.C from the forest authori- encroacher. Thus a responsible and the then Chief Minister cers who are hell bent upon command of forest department the centre to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In fact ship on the basis of so called ties/knowledge of Tehsidar, Govt. Officer Posted for Main- J&K State for taking immedi- sale of forest land and subse- has come in the iron hands of during the last 30 years, the power sector has been possession. mutated the said piece of tenance of Law and Order ate steps regarding cancella- quent mutation on thousands a dynamic, dedicated /devoted neglected and the overall power losses, either owing The then D.F.O Poonch Forest Land illegally and with- caused an irreparable loss to tion of Death Warrants by can- hectares of forest land result- and dashing personality like Jagdish Kishwan IFS (1982- out jurisdiction in the name of Govt. by misusing his official cellation of illegal mutation on ing in destruction, devastation Ch. Lal Singh Ji who is last to power pilferage or on account of defective trans- 84) on the report of the then Sarpanch under the grab of position which amounts to forest land executed by S.D.M and shrinkage of Lush Green ray of hope for restoration and mission system, touched over 54 per cent. And still Range Officer Mendhar (1980- 394/C which is not applicable issuance of Death Warrants to Mendhar so that Bahata Dhoo- Forest area and deterioration retrieving of illegally occu- the Government did not take any measures to check 87) M.B.Mughal took up the on forest land at all. the Natural Environment and rian Forest Nursery in Com- of Natural Environment on the pied and mutated forest land matter with the then Distt.Dev. It is amazing that the then Forests in Violation of consti- partment No.155/M could be other. of Bhatadhurian forest nurs- power losses. Now the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Commissioner Poonch regard- Divisional Forest Officer tution of India .The Article 48 restored to Govt. Forest Deptt. Despite odd circumstances ery from the M.L.C including has been woken up and has said that the State Gov- ing ownership and physical (2003-2005) acted as mute of constitution of India reads, For raising plantation stocks. and non-co-operative atti- innumerable other trespassers, ernment would spend Rs 2000 crores for mini-hydel possession requesting cancel- spectator and did not offer “ The State shall Endeavour to An ill luck would have it tude of Higher authorities of encroachers and land mafia in power projects (all between 9 to 15 mw) to harness lation of fake, fictitious and an iota of resistance/protest protect and improve the Envi- the concerned forest authori- Forest Department, Revenue Poonch forest division. fraudulent Girdawaris by Pat- against the illegal act of the ronment and safeguard For- ties also cared a fig for Envi- Department and the authorities The author is an Advocate power potential in Jammu and Kashmir even as the wari on Forest land vide his S.D.M Mendhar and parted ests”. The Article 51-A further ronment protection and its in the Secretariat, The presi- in J&K High Court Jammu. Government has decided to re-tender Ratle power Office Letter No.421-24 Dated with a precious Forest Nurs- says,” It will be the duty of consequences in shape of dent of V.O never surrendered She is General Secretary of Pir project in Kishtwar after GVK decision to exit from the 12-08-1985.