Excelsior Correspondent
BHADARWAH, May 26: Forest Department officials led by Conservator Forest (CF), Chenab Circle seized 5 sawmills and also sealed a premise today. Besides, 4 more officials of Neeru Range in Bhadarwah Forest Division were suspended.
According to the reports, the sleuths of Territorial Forest Department (TFD), Forest Protection Force (FPF) and police led by Conservator Forest (CF) Chenab Circle, B Mohan Dass and DFO Doda Alok Moria raided 6 premises at Gatha, Udrana, Chakka and Sartingal villages, where they seized 4 sawmills without much resistance. The sleuths when the team raided the premises of Harish Kotwal at Udrana, reportedly the family, who were joined by the neighbors, became hostile towards the raiding team and stopped them from removing the wheel of the sawmill.
Finding themselves cornered, the forest officers were forced to call police and CRPF, who were later joined by the Army as well to carry-on the seizure. The face-off continued between the two parties for 5 long hours. However later in the afternoon, Forest officials managed to seize the mill in presence of Tehsildar Bhadarwah Zeeshan Tahir and Additional SP Raj Singh Gouria.
All the seized material was brought to DFO Office Bhadarwah.
Meanwhile, continuing with the action against the erring forest officials, Principal Chief Conservator Forest (PCCF) on the basis of preliminary report submitted by B Mohan Dass, CF Chenab Circle, regarding illicit felling of trees in compartment number 29, 36 and 52 in Neeru range of Bhadarwah Forest Division, suspended 4 officials including Javid Abdullah Dev, Range Officer Neeru Range, Liaqat Ali Khan, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din and Jahangir Iqbal Najar, all Incharge block officers.
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