Srinagar, Nov 27 (KNS): Residents of Sayarpora area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Sunday staged protest against the forest department for failing to seize the illegally occupied land from the land grabbers.
The residents assembled on the main Aharbal road and chanted slogans against the department.
The protest also led to massive traffic jam in the area, Witnesses said that hundreds of vehicles were seen stranded on the road due to the blockage of the road. “The protesters were not allowing the commuters to move,” they said.
They were demanding immediate action against the illegal land grabbers.
According to KNS correspondent, the protesting residents said that the department has miserably failed to act against the land grabbers without any bias. “If the authorities are acting tough against the illegal land grabbers then they should perform their duties without any bias. The officials are taking action only against those who belong to poor families and are watching as mute spectator against the well-off families,” they said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“The officials have seized the land from the poor families but failed to take action against the well-off families who have encroached the land in the area,” protesting residents said.
The protesters demanded immediate action against all the illegal encroachers. “Some among the officials are hand-in-glove with the well-off families and are ignoring their norm violation. All the illegal encroachers must be dealt with strictly,” they demanded.
Divisional Forest Officer, Syed Waseem told KNS that the drive against the illegal land grabbers has just been started. “We will seize all the land illegally occupied by the people,” he said.
He said that the allegation of hand-in-glove with the well-off people is baseless. “All the persons who have violated the norms will be dealt with strictly. We are going to formulate a team who will seize the illegally occupied lands from the people very shortly,” DFO said. (KNS)