STATE TIMES NEWS
BHADARWAH: To tighten the noose of smugglers, Bhadarwah Forest Division launched a massive crackdown in Joura area of Chiralla Range in District Doda and seized 1175.39 Cft of illegally extracted timber worth Rs 20 lakh. A smuggler was arrested while six others were also booked including a saw mill owner of Bhadarwah in this regards.
According to reports, on a specific information of illegal green felling and large scale timber smuggling in Chirala Range, a team of Forest Control Room (FCR) Bhadarwah and sleuths of Forest Protection Force (FPF) led by its Incharge, Mohd Haroon Khan under the supervision of DFO Bhadarwah Vivek Kumar raided Joura and Sham-Dalain villages in compartments 36 and 37 of Chirala Range where they seized 706 timber scants hidden under dry fodder. One smuggler was also arrested while five others were booked. When contacted DFO Bhadarwah Vivek Kumar said that, we started crackdown against illegal smugglers on 1st January and within one week we managed to seize illegally extracted timber worth Rs 20 lakh from only two compartments of Chiralla Range which clearly indicates the volume and intensity at which these smugglers are looting our green gold.
DFO further said that, we will not only continue but intensify our crusade against the smugglers and also against corrupt forest officials, who are hand-in-glove with forest mafia in facilitating this illegal activity. “We are thankful to the people of Bhadarwah for extending their full cooperation to save the green gold of this beautiful valley,” he added.
The arrested person has been identified as Dimple Singh, resident of village Lehrote Khelleni, while six others were booked under Forest Act from whom illegal timber was recovered include Mohd Rafiq Sheikh, Shabir Ahmed Batt, Khursheed Ahmed Parray, Aajaz Ahmed , Abdul Latief of Village Joura and a saw mill owner Shafqat Hussain Sheikh of Bhadarwah.
