Ganderbal, May 14 : A local Tehsildar in Ganderbal village of Dub here in central Kashmir district has allegedly chopped some walnut trees in the area, triggering large scale resentment from the locals while demanding action against the officer.
Locals alleged that a tehsildar during and anti-encroachment drive to retrieve state land has cut down standing walnut trees in the area.
Local residents of Dub alleged that these trees were cut down in brazen violation of law under the Jammu and Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees Act.
Abaas Ali a local said that it is unfortunate that the walnut trees were cut here without even letting the owners know about it and in Kashmir authorities push residents to grow more walnut trees in order to make progressions in economy but here the same people cut down such trees.
“They were extremely very old trees and it took them many years to grow older but now they faced a government axe which is unfortunate,” Ali added.
Though the people have appreciated the move of district administration of retrieving the state land but questioned the action of tehsildar who has chopped down the walnut trees without permission and other species of trees without serving any notice to the encroachers.
Residents have asked the district administration authorities to take action against the official and initiate a probe into the matter.
When contacted, the concerned tehsildar denied the allegations and said that only popular trees were chopped in order to retrieve the land from encroachers.
He feigned ignorance about cutting down the walnut trees in the area and said that the walnut trees were cut down during night by some unknown persons.
