Missing Boundary Pillars in Mussoorie Forest Division Raise Encroachment Concerns

Strategic Insights -

The regional office of the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) has directed the Uttarakhand government to investigate the disappearance of 7,375 boundary pillars in the Mussoorie forest division. This comes after a review of the division's working plan revealed missing pillars across six forest ranges. The report noted that nearly 80% of the missing markers are from Mussoorie and Raipur, both areas highly prone to encroachment due to their real estate value. The missing pillars are crucial for safeguarding forests from encroachment, mining, smuggling, and poaching, and any alteration or removal of these markers is a punishable offense under the law.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) has directed the Uttarakhand government to investigate the disappearance of 7,375 boundary pillars in the Mussoorie forest division.
  • The issue surfaced in 2023 during a review of the division's working plan, with missing pillars reported across six forest ranges.
  • Nearly 80% of the missing markers are from Mussoorie and Raipur, both areas highly prone to encroachment due to their real estate value.
  • The disappearance of boundary pillars is a punishable offense under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1990.
  • Former chief conservator of forests (planning) Sanjeev Chaturvedi had recommended an SIT or CBI probe under judicial supervision in June.
  • A recounting of the pillars is being conducted using GPS technology and satellite imagery to identify boundaries and possible encroachment.

Statistics:

  • 7,375 boundary pillars are reported missing in the Mussoorie forest division.
  • Nearly 60% of the missing pillars are from Mussoorie (4,133 out of 5,237).
  • 1,722 boundary pillars are missing in Raipur forest range (out of 3,409).
  • The disappearance of boundary pillars is reported across six forest ranges: Mussoorie, Raipur, Jaunpur, Devalsari, Kempty, and Bhadrigad.

Sources:

  • Letter from Neelima Shah, MoEFCC's Dehradun regional office, addressed to RK Sudhanshu, principal secretary of forests.
  • Review of the division's working plan, revised every 10 years.
  • Letter from Sanjeev Chaturvedi, former chief conservator of forests (planning), to Samir Sinha, principal chief conservator of forests and head of Forest Force (HoFF).
  • Announcement by Mussoorie DFO Amit Kanwar on recounting of the pillars using GPS technology and satellite imagery.