Srinagar, Jul 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department has evicted 1,972 encroachers and retrieved 525.75 hectares of forest land in the Kashmir region so far during the 2026-27 financial year, achieving nearly one-fifth of its annual eviction target, according to official data. For 2026-27, the department has fixed a target of evicting 10,000 encroachers and reclaiming 2,124.44 hectares of encroached forest land. According to the data, the Kashmir region currently has 27,571 encroachers occupying 5,857.28 hectares of forest land. In 2025-26, 408 encroachers were removed, leading to the retrieval of 91.52 hectares of forest land. The Forest Department has been conducting eviction drives across Jammu and Kashmir to reclaim forest land from illegal occupation as part of a broader conservation and protection strategy.