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| Vandalisation of forests goes unabated in Kashmir | | |  S.Tahir-Ul Haq
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Sep 24: The green gold in Jammu and Kashmir is in danger because of unabated loot of forests by the timber mafia in collaboration with corrupt officials.
Despite substantial spending to protect its once thick forests, the state is also losing them fast to urban expansion, fires, and lack of planning.
Sources told Early Times that the trees along the rivers which worked as a flood defence have disappeared in the past few years and hardly any new trees have come up in their place, which is a worrisome factor.
"There used to be a lot of trees in the upper reaches, but now the mountains are denuded due to which there is a rise in soil erosion, landslides and floods that is threatening lives and homes," sources said.
They said timber mafias in collaboration with some officials have destroyed forests in the state particularly in Kashmir Valley.
Experts say the main reason for drastic climate change in the Valley is deforestation and encroachments of streams and water bodies.
They blamed the Forest Department, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, and other state departments for the messy situation.
Some forest officials who spoke to Early Times said that wood-based industries like paper, matchsticks, furniture also need a substantial and regular supply of wood.
"Therefore trees are chopped for supplies. However these industries thrive on illegal felling of trees," said the officials. The irony is that government has not taking officials of the departments concerned into the confidence, so that the deforestation could be stopped at the earliest. "The day is not far when we will lose our forests for good," the officials added. |
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