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Jammu and Kashmir Minister Javed Ahmed Rana boycotted a relation of the wood section which comes nether him arsenic a people of protestation against caller demolition of houses of nomadic communities — Gujjars and Bakarwals — successful Jammu connected May 19, 2026.
Meanwhile, energy and h2o proviso chopped by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) were “restored to the affected families” aft the Minister’s intervention.
Top authorities sources said Mr. Rana, the Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest & Tribal Affairs, was invited to seat the ‘International Day for Biological Diversity’ arsenic main impermanent astatine Srinagar’s Dachigam connected Friday (May 22, 2026). However, the Minister decided against presiding the function.
The lawsuit was attended by apical officials from the Forest department, including Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner Secretary Forests, Ecology and Environment; Sarvesh Rai, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) & Head of Forest Force J&K and Chairman J&K Biodiversity Council; and Chaturbhuj Bahera PCCF & Director Social Forestry. The event focused connected reinforcing the planetary telephone to ‘Act Locally, Impact Globally’.
Officials said Ms. Nanda chaired the lawsuit arsenic the chief guest instead.
Forest Minister’s determination to boycott the lawsuit reflected a increasing rift betwixt the elected authorities and officials who study to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha straight successful J&K.
It came to the fore days aft 32 structures of Gujjars and Bakarwals were demolished by a associated squad of Forest section and the J&K Police successful Jammu’s astatine Raika Bandi, Sidra connected May 19. Over 2 twelve families were dislodged from the area, weeks aft a BJP legislator protested against these nomadic communities’ stay successful the area.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rana besides constituted a committee “to ascertain the factual presumption regarding demolition and eviction thrust astatine Raika Bandi, Sidhra”. It comprised of Rajinder Singh Tara, Secretary successful the Department of Forest, Ecology & Environment; Satyendra Maurya, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Udhampur and Dr. Rajesh Kumar Atri, Assistant Revenue, Jammu.
The committee has been directed to analyse the study submitted by Mr. Rai, PCCF (HoFF), J&K, connected the matter, “in accordance with the factual presumption connected crushed and the ineligible provisions nether the applicable laws”.
“The committee shall ascertain factual presumption astatine Raika Bandi, Sidhra aft providing an accidental of being heard to each concerned. It shall taxable its study wrong a play of 7 moving days from the day of issuance of this order,” the bid read.
Earlier, the Tribal Affairs Department besides constituted a abstracted fact-finding committee headed by elder KAS serviceman Mumtaz Ali to analyse alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and safeguards provided to Scheduled Tribes nether the Constitution.
On the JDA’s determination to chopped disconnected energy and h2o proviso to the nomadic community, Mr. Rana said, “Ration is being provided regularly. Electricity and h2o proviso were restored connected time one.”
The demolitions evoked crisp absorption from the determination parties successful J&K, with the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demanding resignation of J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah implicit the matter. The Opposition enactment alleged that the BJP was emerging much almighty than the elected authorities and questioned the volition of the Omar Abdullah authorities to halt these demolitions, wherever nary notices were issued.
