More than 50 influential persons of this area have constructed dhabas on the prime forest land of Malikpur and Madhopur on the outskirts of the town, allegedly with connivance of officials of the Forest Department and the Irrigation Department.Some of them have even encroached upon nearly 40 feet of space in front of their shops to provide parking to their customers.The Forest Department has failed to take steps to remove the encroachments, despite the fact that the forest land on which the dhabas are built has a market value in crores.The encroachers had reportedly bribed some local officials of the Irrigation Department, who after charging them nominal fee, allowed them to use the forest land for commercial purposes by flouting rules and regulations.