Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, Apr 5: At a time when state is combating flood threats mainly due to deforestation, the illegal felling of green gold is going on unabated in different areas of this southern district.
According to locals, due to the alleged negligence of senior officials of the department, Daksum, Kuthar, Chetergul and Shangas areas of the district are losing the picturesque and dense forest cover.
They alleged that "when all attention of administration was focused on floods and devastation caused by floods, the forest officials were letting smugglers fell the trees and smuggle the timber to other areas."
They alleged that at Daksum, a forest employee who is supposed to protect the forest, in league with some smugglers felled green trees and sold them to a villager.
"I paid Rs 20,000 to the smugglers," a resident who purchased the same illicit timber from the smugglers a few days ago told Early Times on the condition of anonymity.
Green trees were cut down in two compartments (26 and 27), officials sources alleged.
The locals alleged that timber smuggling was going on in Chtergal, Kutar and Shangus forest as well.
"Compartment No 81 in Chetergul forests suffered major damage in last month," they alleged, adding that a few logs measuring over 300 ft illicit timber were seized by the forest protection force in the area.
"We informed a senior Forest protection Force official who visited the area and seized the logs," they added.
Deputy Director Forest protection department, Parvaiz Ahmad confirmed that he had seized the illicit timber and said, "I can't provide you the details right now but yes we have seized timber and measurement of the seized timber will be done tomorrow."
DFO Anantnag, Tawheed Ahmad Deva, on being contacted said that he would look into the matter.
"On complaints of tree felling we take immediate cognizance and if someone is found guilty we take strict action against erring people and even officials are not spared." He added.
Minister of State for Forests, Abdul Majeed Padder was not available for his comment. |
