11 hours ago
Protest against construction in Khalanga forest gather steam
Dehradun: Environmental activists and local residents continued their protests against construction activities in Khalanga reserve forest area, demanding answers for the alleged sale of forest land.
A memorandum of demands was submitted to the district magistrate's office on Tuesday.
The issue first came to light last Friday, after a video showing an iron gate being installed deep inside the forest was widely circulated on social media.
Following protests by locals, it was later revealed that the structure was placed at a private property surrounded by reserve forest land, and was installed without prior permission.
"The question is how forest land was sold in the first place. Any construction work must be immediately stopped. No construction, tourism or even leisure activities should be carried out, or we will soon see plotting like in Maldevta," said environmentalist Ashish Garg.
Despite the state forest minister calling for a high-level probe into the matter, concerned locals have urged the authorities to monitor the situation closely and have demanded answers.
"It's imperative to know who sold this land and when. There has to be a thorough probe," said Pradeep Kukreti, a statehood agitator and member of a Dehradun-based citizens' forum. He added that they have approached senior officials from both the forest department and the district administration regarding the matter.
Kukreti also warned of the threat posed by alleged land mafias operating in ecologically sensitive zones.
"Construction work without permission don't just happen overnight. There has to be some accountability. It is not just about Dehradun, it is about protecting the environment of our state," he said.
While a preliminary investigaion revealed that 22 trees had been damaged during the construction work, eco-activists claim the number is much higher.
"An investigation under the Forest Offences Act is already underway.
Guidelines clearly point out that no commercial activity can be carried out on deemed forest land without clearance. We will ensure that the reserve forest remains intact. Patrolling has already been intensified," said divisional forest officer Amit Kanwar.
Meanwhile, officials from the forest and revenue department have confirmed private ownership of the land in question, based on documents going as far back as the 1970s. "This was revenue land surrounded by reserve forest. We are still investigating how and when the sale took place," said a senior official.
