Under President’s Rule, J&K Has Given Up 243 Hectares Of Forest Land For Army And Paramilitary Use scroll.in

The former Forest Advisory Committee, commonly known as FAC, of the erstwhile Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir was very busy in September and October. Authorised to take decisions on approval of infrastructure and other projects passing through forested land, the FAC approved diversion of over 727 hectares of designated forest land between September 18 and October 21. It also approved the felling of at least 1,847 trees, which includes 1,471 trees inside designated forest areas and 376 trees in areas earmarked for social forestry.

Moreover, it has approved felling of trees that will be submerged due to construction of the Pakuldul hydro-electricity project and other development projects – there is no count of the number of trees to be felled. Over 60% of the forest land diversion approvals are to build roads, and 33% – 243 hectares – for the use of the army and paramilitary forces in Pir Panjal or Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary, Kehmil, Jhelum Valley, Samba and Jammu Forest divisions, analysis of the official documents revealed.