The forest department carried out a demolition drive on Saturday, August 2, to remove encroachments built on forest areas in Rajasthan's Ajmer. According to police, around 200 cabin-sized shops in Taragarh, which were built on forest department land, will be demolished under heavy security, according to the news agency ANI.
"The forest department is conducting this demolition drive to remove encroachment. There are around 200 cabin-sized shops in Taragarh, which were built on the forest department land. Heavy security has been deployed," said Ajmer Subrident of Police, Vandita Rana.
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Earlier in April, the Ajmer forest department had served notice to illegal shops in Taragarh to vacate the forest land under the jurisdiction of the forest department. After protesting by the locals, administration asked shop owners to present valid proof of the land.
Notices were issued under the Land Revenue Act by the court of the Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), and the owner was required to submit proof within 15 days or face demolition.
A video shared by the news agency ANI shows heavy security forces, including paramilitary forces and police, deployed in the area ahead of the demolition drive to avoid untoward incidents and maintain law and order in the region.
Additional SP City, Himanshu Jangid said, "In the Taragarh forest area, some shops were illegally constructed by encroaching on forest land. The Forest Department is currently carrying out an anti-encroachment drive. Adequate police force has been deployed. Notices had already been issued to the encroachers and structures with court-issued stay orders have not been touched."