Excelsior Correspondent
DODA, June 23: The smuggling of green gold is going unabated in forest range Chiralla here.
Locals told the EXCELSIOR that the green gold smuggling is going on in forest range Chiralla in Bhaderwah and the Forest Department has miserably failed to take action against the mafia. They said every day the trees are being cut down at the hands of uncontrolled mafia.
Sources told that in Compartment Number 2 and 6 in Tanta, which falls under the jurisdiction of Chiralla forest range in Bhaderwah Forest Division, the smugglers are seen cutting down trees in broad daylight with Forest Department watching as mute spectators.
“Taking the advantage of present situation of COVID-19 pandemic, the smugglers are moving freely in forests with axes and other mechanical tools including cutters,” residents said, adding that the officials of Forest Department were informed many times but to no avail.
They further said that recently deodar trees were cut in the Tanta Compartment Numbers 2 and 6 by the green gold smugglers, but the department failed to take action against them.
The residents have accused the officials of the forest division of being “hand-in-glove” with the timber smugglers.
When contacted, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Chander Shekhar, told the EXCELSIOR that few areas in Chiralla Forest Range like Tanta Beat 1 and Tanta Beat 2 have always remained problematic and infamous for forest damages.
During the lockdown period when movements were restricted by the authorities, unscrupulous elements of these areas took clandestinely to forest areas especially during night hours to inflict damage to forests, he said, adding that Forest Department teams are regularly patrolling in such areas.
A large number of illicit timbers have been seized and dozens of cases have been registered against offenders, he informed.
Behind large scale destruction to green gold, DFO held professional timber smugglers working in other States like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh responsible.
All staff have been transferred from there and action against the smugglers have been initiated, he said, adding that an inquiry has also been ordered against the department’s beat guard.
Around 40 persons destroyed the forest areas and we will soon be prosecuting them in court so that they can be punished, DFO asserted.
“More vigil will be kept on the smugglers to save further loss of the green gold”, DFO maintained.
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