About 70% of the forest land has been encroached either by the people living in and around the forests or by the influential citizens of the state with the help of the forest mafia.Fully aware of the situation, the forest department has its eyes shut and refuse to acknowledge the alarming situation.Sources in the department revel that majority of the forest land is encroached by the politicians and big business giants who with the help of forest mafia secure them in their name.He also revealed that most of it is done with the help of the land records of the department and the forest officials who tamper with the official records to destroy the evidence.