CHANDIGARH, June 18 -- The Punjab forest department has reclaimed nearly 50 acres of government forest land in Gurdaspur district during an anti-encroachment drive on Wednesday. The land had allegedly been under illegal occupation for over five decades. The recovered land forms part of the forest area adjoining the Beas Conservation Reserve and is considered ecologically significant for wildlife conservation.

According to forest department officials, Punjab owns around 271 acres of forest land in the Kapura village under the Qadian forest range in Gurdaspur district. The forest area extends along the Beas Conservation Reserve and borders Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts. However, nearly 50 acres of this land had been encroached upon a...