Evict encroachers forest dept tells officials

From digging deep into departmental archives to battling out in various courts, the Forest department is struggling to safeguard its green cover from land sharks. The department is flooded with complaints about fresh cases of land encroachment across the state.

Following the tepid response from its lower-rung officials, the department has pulled up the forest officials at the district level and warned that they will be held responsible along with their staff for failing to prevent encroachment of forest land in their jurisdiction.

The department has warned, through a circular, that the respective Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCFs) in each district will be held responsible for failing to act against encroachers in the last four to five years.

All ranks in focus

Punati Sridhar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) - PCCF, has issued an order to all the circles, districts and wildlife divisions across the state. The department will fix responsibility on officials ranging from the top order at the circles to lower rank officials in various ranges.

In his letter, a copy of which is with DH, the PCCF stated that despite the best efforts to evict encroachers from forest land, fresh cases of encroachment are being reported from many districts.

“Despite several instructions in the past, fresh cases of forest land encroachment have been reported. Assistant Conservators of Forests (ACFs) must regularly look into such cases and submit a report on the lapses by the junior rank officials. If ACFs fail to act, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCFs) must pin the responsibility on all officials and recommend for disciplinary action over the encroachment,” the letter said.

Clarifying on the new decision, a senior official said, “The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) wing of the department has been directed to compare the satellite imageries with actual maps and report to Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests - APCCF (Land Records) about the latest encroachment. If the officials have failed to evict encroachers of land in the last four to five years, the APCCF has to hold the respective DCFs responsible and action shall be initiated against district officials of all ranks.”