Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 25: Appreciating the efforts of the department for curbing timber smuggling menace in the State, the Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad asked the authorities of Forest Protection Force (FPF) to mobilize field functionaries besides ensuring round the clock presence of staff at forest check posts in order to thwart any attempt of timber smuggling and forest land encroachment.
The Minister was reviewing the functioning of FPF at an officer meeting , which was attended by Commissioner Secretary Forests, Sheikh Ejaz Iqbal, Director FPF, Ravi Kesar, Joint Director, Mian Javed Ahmad besides other senior officers of the department.
The Minister directed the authorities of the department to handover all the seized timber to the Forest Department for further distribution among the consumers under proper permission. “It is better to distribute seized timber to the consumers, in time, rather leaving it for spoiling in open fields”, said the Minister and instructed concerned officers to handover seized timber to the Forest Department within a week’s time as and when they seize timber from smugglers.
Mian Altaf said certain areas have been identified as critical and smuggling prone and asked officers to provide weapons to the field staff posted in such areas to keep smugglers at bay from carrying illegal activities. He said during past four years the department with active support and inter departmental coordination succeeded in stopping smuggling activities across the State. He said need is to increase vigil on the activities of timber smugglers so that the green gold of the State is saved for our posterity.
The Minister asked officers to take local people, living near the jungles, in confidence, adding that department can get help from them in fighting with timber smugglers. He said forest land encroachment is also serious issue and directed officers to take necessary measures for stopping people from indulging in such illegal activities.
The meeting discussed in detail the issues of the department pertaining to finalizing and notifying of recruitment rules, transport needs, SRO 43 cases, construction of office complexes, demand of funds, provision of firefighting equipment, functioning of Gama Units across the State.
It was informed that 4 kanal of land, costing Rs 2 crore, have been acquired at Bemina for construction of FPF Hqrs Complex while Rs 1.25 crore are proposed to be spent on different works during current fiscal.
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