Forest depart demolishes Rs 2 cr worth illegal resort

Alipurduar: The forest department launched an eviction drive at Chilapata, Alipurduar, demolishing a private resort worth Rs 2 crore that was illegally built on reserve forest land in Jaldapara National Park. The luxury resort, constructed on three acres of land, had been built without proper authorization. Despite being issued a notice by the forest department in February, the resort authorities failed to vacate the land.

Sources from the forest department revealed that two businessmen, one from Kolkata and the other from Madarihat were responsible for the illegal construction on forest department land on Lakra Road area of Mendabari. The resort was slated for inauguration

before Puja. A joint survey conducted in July by the land and Land Reform department and the Forest department confirmed that the resort was being built in violation of the law, with about 95 per cent of the structure occupying Forest department land. Following this revelation, the Jaldapara Forest Department issued a final notice to the resort owners, which went unheeded.

On Friday morning, the illegal construction was dismantled with the aid of two payloaders, under the supervision of fifty forest workers, forest officials, land and land reform officials, and the police. The forest department’s inspection of the vacated land revealed several other illegal resorts in the vicinity of Jaldapara National Park.

Parveen Kaswan, DFO of Jaldapara Wildlife Division, said: “Early this morning, the Jaldapara Wildlife Division successfully removed one such resort at Chilapata. Despite numerous communications to halt the construction, the owners continued their activities. Consequently, the resort was demolished, and debris was cleared using multiple JCBs and teams from various ranges. Wherever there is

evidence of encroachment of forest department land and illegal constructions, after they are identified, all the plots

will be demolished.”