Ludhiana(Amarpreet Singh Makkar) – Thirty one thousand acre land of Forest Department has been encroached in Punjab. The department and government is helpless to remove encroachments as dispute of encroachment of twenty one thousand acre land was pending in court. The Punjab Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot claimed that land of forest department was encroached from decades but in last ten years the government has made no efforts to take the possession of forest department land. Minister said that in last one year, the government has taken the possession of 2500 acre encroached forest department land in state.According to information the total 31000 acre forest land was encroached in Punjab. The government has initiated process to remove encroachment from ten thousand acre land as disputes of 21000 acre land were pending in different courts.Forest minister said that in next few months they will take the possession of 7500 acre encroached land. The department has started plantation on land which free already taken into possession after lifting encroachments. The mafia and residents of some villages have encroached land of forest department and using for agriculture or some other purposes, revealed Minister.Giving the details, Minister revealed that 100 acre in Mattewara, 227 acre in Jagraon area, besides 2500 acre land has been successfully taken over by the department after removing the encroachments. He said that the department has aimed to lift all such encroachments before the starting of paddy season this year.The minister claimed the department has decided to carry out plantation drive on the cleared lands. He said that in the previous year, Punjab government had decided to plant 2 crores saplings and this year, the target has been set four-time increase from previous year goal for which the department has been roping Panchayats and other wings.  Dharamsot also disclosed about a new initiative of the department and said sandalwood saplings would be offered to the farmer to enhance their income and decreasing their dependence on routine crops.

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