Srinagar, May 20 (KNO): The Jammu & Kashmir Government on Wednesday constituted a committee to probe possible violations of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 during the demolition of tribal houses in Sidhra, Jammu, on Tuesday.
The Department of Tribal Affairs has set up a two-member committee to enquire into and report on any violations of the Act during the recent demolition of houses belonging to tribal families in Raiki Bandi (Sidhra), Jammu.
According to the official order, a copy of which is in possession of the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the panel will comprise Mohammad Mumtaz Ali, Director Tribal Affairs, and Muzamil Hassan Choudhary. The committee has been directed to submit its report within seven days of the issuance of the order.
The probe was ordered a day after authorities demolished several structures and reclaimed nearly 60 kanals of prime forest land in the Mahamaya forest belt.
The joint operation was carried out by officials of the Forest Department, Forest Protection Force, Revenue Department, and the police to remove encroachments from forest areas in the lower Shivalik range.
According to officials, the reclaimed land is worth crores of rupees and forms part of ecologically sensitive forest zones around Jammu city—(KNO)