Company Name : Generic Source : The Times Of India

Ajmer: The state forest department has initiated steps to prevent grabbing of forest land for illegal constructions by constructing walls on the borders of forests. The plan is to construct six to eight feet walls as part of an eco-restoration programme. 

In Ajmer city alone, 3,000 encroachments were detected in a survey last year and notices were issued to the encroachers. However, action got delayed at the administrative level. The situation is almost the same in the other districts. “By constructing walls on the border of forests, we would be able to distinguish the construction and encroachments easily. The forest guards will also make rounds to see that the wall remains in shape,” said an official. 

“Last week, the department freed land worth Rs 20 crore of encroachments where an illegal colony was getting shape,” said Ghanshyam Gupta, range officer, Ajmer. The department wanted to make sure that such lands situated on the outskirts of the city and town are saved from encroachments. The programme will be undertaken under MGNERGA and labourers and material will be provided by the district administration. “We have notified the sites where the construction has to be done and also issued tenders for the work,” said an official. 

The department is also hoping that after construction of the walls, residential areas will also be secure from intruding wild animals. “As there are many villages close to the jungle in Jawaja block, it is hard to check the intrusion of panthers and other wild animals in the villages,” said Rakesh Sharma, range officer, Beawar zone. 

The problem with the forest guards is that they are unable to monitor the gaps between Aravalli ranges. “On Sunday, a fox was seen in Sampla village. Today, children are not allowed to go out alone and forest department is busy searching the animal,” said Sharma. 

Meanwhile, sources said chief secretary S Ahmed had launched the project when he was looking after the department and he is serious about its implementation.