Forest Land Reclaimed: Encroachers Arrested in Solapur

In Solapur district, forest department officials conducted a major operation, reclaiming approximately 18 acres of forest land in Aljapur village. This action led to the arrest of 19 individuals, comprising 15 men and four women, who were found to have encroached upon the land and built huts. Despite strong opposition from the accused, a significant police presence ensured the arrests were made. Forest officials noted that hundreds of trees had been cut from the encroached land over the past two and a half months.

This reclamation effort followed multiple notices issued to the encroachers, who were reportedly members of a nomadic community. The forest department plans to conduct a panchnama of the area and subsequently plant new indigenous trees. In a separate incident in the Amboli forest range, eight poachers were arrested during routine patrols. Wildlife and hunting equipment, including firearms, a dead porcupine, and a mouse deer, were seized from the apprehended individuals. All arrested individuals in both cases have been remanded to judicial or forest custody.