Will see merit in the complaints raised by people: SDM
Jahangir Lolabi
Kupwara, Jun 10: (GNS) Even as Forest department claims to have retrieved a major chunk of encroached upon land in Lalpora forests, locals on Wednesday alleged the department of conducting a ‘biased’ and ‘motivated’ drive in the area.
The anti-encroachment drive, as per the locals, is “highly biased and motivated” while they went on to allege the department of being in “connivance with some big guns.”
“We have absolutely no problem with the drive being conducted to free the land of the clutches from the people, they said adding “what raises our concern is when the department officials left out the land under the blue-eyed and its own department employees during the so-called drive.”
“They may claim anything but for us it seems purely biased and motivated drive”, they alleged.
When contacted Range Officer over the allegations levelled by the locals, told GNS that during the drive some fifty kanals of encroached upon land was retrieved from the people of the area.
“The allegations of the locals is baseless for we retrieved the land from whosoever had encroached it, the official said adding “we still are on with the drive, come and show us where we have went wrong.”
Meanwhile, SDM Lalpora Aijaz Ahmed told GNS that the people should approach him with their complaints.
“We will see into the merit of complaints raised by the people” the officer said adding “wherever necessary immediate action will be taken.”
Pertinent to mention here that the drive was conducted in Gangbugh, Sogam, Lassipora, Gujjarpati and other adjacent areas.