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| Private Hydro firm encroaches land, chops over 300 trees illegally at Kokernag | | Forest Department fails to act | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, Mar 12: In violation of norms, a private hydro firm has encroached more than 2 hectares of land and chopped off hundreds of Kail and Fir trees in Ichoo Village of Vailoo Anantnag district allegedly under the watch of forest department officials.
As per reports, M/s 02Z Trading and Industries Private Limited, a private Hydro firm currently executing 5-mega watt Small Hydel Projects at Ichoo Kokernag has encroached land more than the firm was allotted. Similarly the firm, as per the ground survey and Detailed Project Report was supposed to cut only 14 Kail and Fir trees but it has allegedly chopped off hundreds of trees and caused huge damage to the forests.
Locals residents, who filled number a complaints with concerned departments including forest department alleged that the private firm in nexus with the forest departments employees has smuggled Kail and Fir timber in his vehicles. “He is very influential and so no department has guts to take action against him." Deputy Director Forest Protection Force Anantnag, Nawab Ahmad Magray admitted private hydro firm has encroached forest land and chopped off trees illegally.
“Our worthy Director Saheb (Director Forest Protection Force) had received a complaint against the private firm. He accordingly directed me and Deputy Director Shopain to visit the site. We visited the site in the month of October and found that the firm has encroached more land in fact double of what they were supposed to use. We also found that the firm has chopped off more trees,” Magray told media.
He said that they have submitted a detailed report to Director Forest Protection Force.
According to the documents, copies of which lie with Early Times, M/s 02Z Trading and Industries Private Limited, a private hydro firm was allotted the contract of 5-mega watt Small Hydel Projects at Ichoo on Built Operate Own and Transfer (BOOT) basis for a period of 40 years vide No. ST/EDA/SHP/66/2553-65 Dated 16-09-2015 by Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (Science and Technology Department).
The government vide order No 151-FST of 2016 dated 27—5-2016 alloted 2.385 Ha of forest land for construction of 1.06 Mega Watt Ichoo Hydel Power Project, however the agency constructed near about one and half kilometer water channel through forest compartment 97/v without required permission.
Locals in their complaints have alleged that the private hydro firm has caused huge damage to forests by the excavation through machines and have buried number of trees illegally. They also allege that the firm has constructed several roads in the forest without seeking permission from the forest department or haven’t paid any compensation to the forest department on account of land use.
“Department of Fisheries, PHE Department, Pollution Control Board, Geology and Mining, State Water regulatory department, wildlife department and Revenue department haven’t issued No Objection Certificates in favor of the firm,” they claim.
The Forest Department had earlier placed its two employees under suspension for ‘negligence and declaration of duties’ and were later reinstated, however no action has been initiated against the firm for causing damage to forests. |
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