Electricity, water supply of squatters on forest land cut in Jodhpur

Jodhpur: Cracking a whip on the encroachments on forest land in Jodhpur, Discom and PHED have instructed teams to disconnect electricity and water supply to encroachers. Discom has disconnected about 700 electric connections and PHED has snapped 483 connections in past three days. Action has been taken on the encroachments in seven forest blocks of the city in compliance of the high court’s directions, which have been witnessing unabated encroachments over past one decade, with the encroachers enjoying both water and electric connections. Superintending engineer (Discom) O P Suthar said that about 700 electric connections have been snapped till Friday and action would continue in coming days covering more encroachments. Similarly, superintending engineer (PHED) J C Vyas said that 483 water connections have been snapped in Beriganga, Bhuteshwar and Chandana Bhakar forest blocks in past three days. “Along with this, the work of identification of encroachments with water connection and supply to those areas will be severed in next few days,” said Vyas. While Discom and PHED have begun snapping the connections, the forest department is yet to come up with the much awaited action of removal or razing of these encroachments. A senior official, while terming the exercise of disconnection temporary, said that until these encroachments are removed, the actions of Discom and PHED will turn out to be futile.“If the encroachers are not removed and allowed to exist, they will look for alternative sources like solar lights and water tankers for their electric and water needs,” said the official. But despite the stern directions of the High Court to the forest department to remove these encroachments and demarcation of the forest land, the department has not done anything significant other than issuing notices.
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