By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 23 Aug: A staggering case of suspected forest land encroachment has come to light in Uttarakhand’s Mussoorie Forest Division, where 7,375 boundary pillars, meant to demarcate protected forest areas, have mysteriously disappeared. The revelation, which has sent shockwaves through the state’s forest administration, was formally raised by Chief Conservator of Forests (Working Plan) Sanjeev Chaturvedi, who has written to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (PCCF and HoFF) and has recommended a high-level probe, either by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), under court supervision.
It may be noted here that the missing pillars were identified during a review of the division’s revised working plan, and their absence from ground locations despite being marked on official maps has raised serious concerns about deliberate tampering. According to the report prepared in 2023, the disappearance spans multiple ranges: 62 pillars from Bhadrigaad, 944 from Jaunpur, 296 from Dewalsari, 218 from Kempty, 4,133 from Mussoorie, and 1,722 from Raipur. Chaturvedi had alerted the forest headquarters about the anomaly nearly two months ago, yet no concrete action has been initiated, prompting fears of systemic negligence or complicity.
In his letter, Chaturvedi has alleged that the removal of such a large number of boundary markers could not have occurred without collusion between the officials, staff, and possibly politicians. He has termed the incident a “criminal betrayal” of the state’s ecological security and public assets, suggesting that the missing pillars facilitated large-scale encroachment for non-forestry purposes by vested interests. The Khalanga area of Raipur Range, previously flagged for illegal occupation, has been cited as a precedent for such activities.
The matter has now entered the public domain, placing all officials and employees who served in the Mussoorie Forest Division under scrutiny. It however remains to be seen whether the Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers who have held the post of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) during the period in question are subjected to any investigation for lapses or complicity. Chaturvedi has also called for a probe into the financial assets of these officials to determine if any have benefited from unlawful activities linked to forest land encroachment.
On the other hand, Mussoorie DFO Amit Kanwar has acknowledged the issue, stating that the missing boundary pillars were discovered during the action plan review and that legal action will follow upon completion of the investigation. Discussions are underway regarding the digitisation of forest boundaries, which could prevent future encroachments by eliminating reliance on physical markers. Satellite imagery can play a crucial role in tracing the extent of encroachment and identifying the officers responsible during the relevant periods.
