A major case of suspected forest land encroachment has surfaced in Uttarakhand’s Mussoorie Forest Division where 7,375 boundary pillars used to mark protected forest areas have gone missing.
The disappearance came to light during a review of the division’s renewed action plan. Official maps showed the boundary pillars, but on the ground, they were nowhere to be found. In total, 7,375 pillars have vanished across different ranges, 62 in Bhadrigaad, 944 in Jaunpur, 296 in Dewalsari, 218 in Kempty, 4,133 in Mussoorie, and 1,722 in Raipur.
The matter was formally raised by a Magsaysay Award-winning Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer. In a letter to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (PCCF and HoFF), Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning), Haldwani, said the incident was highly unusual and warned that such a large-scale removal could not have happened without the involvement of forest officials, staff, and possibly political backing. He described it as a “criminal betrayal” of the state’s ecological security and said it might have opened the way for large-scale encroachment of forest land by vested interests and criminal elements.
Chaturvedi has demanded a court-monitored CBI probe or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry into the matter. He also called for phased action against all officials who have served in the Mussoorie division over the years and suggested checking their financial records to see if anyone gained from unlawful activities linked to forest land encroachment.
This is not the first warning. The Khalanga area in Raipur Range had earlier been flagged for illegal occupation. In fact, Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s letter specifically mentions that encroachment on forest land in the Raipur Range has been going on for years. These encroachments have persisted for years due to the connivance of local officers and employees, the letter read. He has also pointed to the “suspicious role” of department staff in illegal mining and unchecked construction on forest land, alleging that such activities have long flourished under tacit approval from senior officials.
Despite being alerted nearly two months ago, no major action has been taken so far, raising concerns about negligence and complicity at high levels.
Notably, Chaturvedi’s letter casts a shadow over the functioning of IFS officer Amit Kanwar, currently the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in charge of the Mussoorie Forest Division. Chaturvedi has further warned that unless swift action is taken, the remaining forest area of Mussoorie Division could also fall into the hands of encroachers.
Mussoorie Divisional Forest Officer Amit Kanwar has confirmed the disappearance of the boundary pillars, saying it was discovered during the action plan review. “The pillars in question belong to the entire division, which spans two districts, Tehri and Dehradun, across six ranges and 33 beats. This issue came to light in a recent survey, and the data spans several years. An FIR will also be registered soon,” he further added.
When contacted, investigating officer IFS Rajiv Dhiman said a formal inquiry was already underway. “We are investigating the matter. A complete report has been sought from the DFO Mussoorie, along with all relevant records. A site inspection has been conducted, but a detailed report is still awaited,” he said.
Meanwhile, PCCF Sameer Sinha stated he had not yet received Chaturvedi’s letter. “However, an investigation into the related matter is already ongoing. Any action can only be taken after the investigation report is submitted,” he noted, refusing to comment further.
Officials are also discussing the digitisation of forest boundaries and the use of satellite imagery to prevent encroachments in the future and to track the scale of encroachment already done. It will also help in identifying the officers responsible during the relevant periods. The revelation has shaken Uttarakhand’s forest administration, putting several past and present officials under scrutiny as the state waits to see if a high-level probe will be launched.
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