PIL regarding eviction of encroachers on Forest Land DB Seeks latest status report

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by inhabitants of village Hari seeking direction to the respondents to initiate eviction proceedings against those who have encroached kanals of forest land falling in Compartment 51-A at village Hari in Surankote tehsil.
Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Comprising Acting Chief Justice (Acting) Tashi Rabstan and Justice Puneet Gupta after hearing Adv PN Bhat for the PIL, directed Sr. AAG SS Nanda to file latest status report regarding 40 peoples/encroachers are stated to have been in possession of more than 100 kanals of land each. When the PIL came-up for hearing, DB observed that status report dated February 26, has been filed by the respondents contending therein that the Range Officer Surankote vide communication dated January 11, 2024 has reported that out of 115 encroachers, 39 numbers of claims of community rights of the claimants have been settled by the District Level Committee under FRA and 35 numbers of claims are pending with Sub Divisional Level Committee, Surankote. It is further contended that 41 numbers of claims are under process at Gram Sabha Level.
DB directed Sr. AAG S.S Nanda, learned to file action taken report with regard to 35 numbers of claims pending with Sub Divisional Level Committee, Surankote and 41 numbers of claims pending with Gram Sabha Level, by or before the next date of hearing.
It is submitted by P.N Bhat, learned counsel for the petitioners that as per previous status report filed by the respondents, in addition to above, 40 peoples/encroachers are stated to have been in possession of more than 100 kanals of land each. DB further directed Sr. AAG to file latest status report onn this count by next date of hearing.