STATE TIMES NEWS
BHADARWAH : Despite continuous evangelism by media, crack down by Forest Department and Doda Police on forest mafia and corrupt forest officials in Chinab Circle, there seems to be no end to the smuggling of green gold. The Forest Department seized 200 cft (cubic feet) of green timber from Dandi Block in Bhadarwah Forest Division worth lakhs of rupees.
After the case of timber smuggling was highlighted by the social activists and the media, the Forest Department swung into action and recovered green cedar scants hidden in a brick kiln.
A team of forest officials led by Haroon Khan In-charge Range Officer of Bhadarwah Forest Division along with FPF sleuths under the supervision of DFO Bhadarwah, conducted a raid in village Dandi and Chaka near Compartment No.57 of Neeru Range and seized 13 deodar scants from the possession of Mohd Shafi and Mohd Sarwar. The illegal timber was hidden in a local brick kiln and on search of the kilin the seizure was made.
” Forest Department has gone offensive against the timber mafia in Bhadarwah Forest Division and is leaving no stone unturned in controlling the illicit damage to the forest wealth, where raids and checking have become order of the day, ” said DFO Bhadarwah T.B Singh adding that the environmentalists are also coming forward and sharing the information.
More than 200 cft Deodar/Kail timber has been seized by the Forest Department officials in Bhadarwah Division
alone and cases have been registered against the smugglers for stringent action under law.
