Mohd Irfan
Raika Forests which are considered to be the lungs of Jammu are destroying as the JCB machines pressed into service by the government to conduct rampant cutting of the trees. As already there taking place massive urbanisation in Jammu following the shifting of the masses from different districts to Jammu for the purposes like that of education, businesses and for Job resultant there in Jammu several colonies come up and lands also get occupied. Forests which was prevalent as of now in Jammu that is Raika which is lungs as it gives clean air to the Jammuities.
Now, it has been learnt rather also came on the social media that the work started in Raika forest and which would ultimately destroyed the same and there in came up the HC complex. Some of the intelligentsia class opposed the destruction of the Raika that it would spells doom for the Jammuities as it affect the environment citing cutting of decades old trees. Even houses of bird being snatched as they used to reside in this Raika forests.
The moot question arisen for sympathetic consideration is that why the civil society of the Jammu not came forward and opposed the destruction of this Raika forests. This is a million dollar question which begs answer.
Why the civil society is in deep slumber. Are they don’t know the fall out of the destruction of the Raika Forest’s? Obviously they don’t know that these lungs of Jammu saved us from scorching heat in the summer. Had they know the importance of these forests they will not let the Raika forests to get destroyed the way it is going on? Even some social activists also voiced their concern and frustration over the illogical and illegal move of the government to go for deforestation of Raika forests. It is out of place to mention here in that Human greed led to devastation of the natural environment if one can see present environment which is prevailing as even in summer also we found the rains which otherwise in the summer season rain very rarely occurred and there are other factors as that of recent cyclone in Gujrat Biparjoy whose aftermath seen in surrounding states also as that of Rajasthan, Ajmer etc.
“Government before going in for the destruction of the prestigious raika forests they should take public into confidence and deliberated with the civil society” One of the social activist asking not to be named rued adding, that they are going for the massive deforestation at Raika. But to our utter dismay and chagrin that does not happened at all. We Jammuities made to suffer in days to come and mostly the repercussions of it will face by our future generations”, he regretted while lambasted the government for their lacklustre approach and indifferent attitude and allowed our lungs to get destroyed.
“If not then at least take the opinion from the environment experts about the after effects of the cutting of Raika Forests Social Activist informed adding, but the government maintained the criminal silence resultant there in our Raika forests made to destroyed”, he lamented. One of the advocate wishing anonymity rued that the government gone for destruction of the Raika then they should first of all made a pledge that they will plant trees that much numbers which have been cut. That is need of the hour as we fiddle with the environment for our own vested and satiated interests”, he asserted. “It has also came to fore that our Chief Justice of India will be coming on 28th of June to laid foundation stone of New HC complex which means already proposal is in vogue and process set in motion for the construction of New HC complex”, he lamented.
There are reports that about 38,000 trees get cut and after that New HC complex get constructed. Even there are 150 types of trees here along with 150 species of the Animals. This New HC complex is the brain child of Former CJ of JK HC as the Chief Justice cited the reason for the shifting the HC on account of dilapidated condition of HC Complex coupled with paraphernalia sans in the present HC Complex. To this, advocates fraternity during that period staged protests against the purposed shifting of HC from Janipur to Raika that it would resulted inconvenience and insurmountable hardships to the advocates well as the litigants. But now decks have been cleared for the New HC complex at Raika. Voices of dissent rued that there are about 650 kanals of land at Janipur where the present HC is there, but government in order to play with the nature chosen to destroy the lungs of the Jammu which will have disastrous effects on the environment. Now, it’s clarion call for Jammuities to wake up before it’s too late to the save the Lungs of Jammu failing which they have to pay a heavy price for the same.
