Haryana forest dept refutes Shekhar’s allegations

The State Forest Minister, Jagdish Yadav, yesterday came out with a report on the project even as the confusion continued over Haryana Government’s stand on the disputed 400 acres of land belonging to Bhondsi panchayat but under the `possession’ of Bharat Yatra Centre, which happens to be a trust set up by the former PM.

“I am not saying that Chandra Shekharhas not done afforestation on the land but I am giving figures of the plantation done by us in the past years,” said Yadav.

Giving a detailed list of the figures, the Forest Minister informed that, in the year 1992-93 about 25 hectares of the village land was afforested, while in 1993-94 afforestation was done on 95 hectares.

In 1994-95, the land brought under the green cover was 40 hectares, in 1996-97, 4 hectares, in 1997-98, 6 hectares and in 1998-99, 5.5 hectares land was afforested. “In all, about 110.5 hectares out of a total of 165.5 hectares of the Bhondsi village land was afforested by our department,” Yadav added.

The Forest Minister, while admitting that kabooli keekar had been planted on the land, said the plantation was done because the particular variety was said to be ideal for rocky terrain.

He added that, now the department had decreased keekar plantation by about 25 per cent in the area and plants like amaltas, gulmohar, kaner, kachnar, rain tree are being plantedinstead.