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| Shortage of fuel and power force locals to plunder green gold on Mughal Road | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Rajouri, Feb 20 : Shortage of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and erratic power supply due to snagged 132 KV supply line since past two months in upper reaches of Peer Panjal of border districts of Rajouri and Poonch owing to heavy snowfall have forced rural people to cut trees for their survival. According to some nature lovers and environmentalists from Rajouri the open loot of "Green Gold of state" is apparent along the roadside of Deera Ki Gali, Bafliyaz, Channi Mad and many other outskirt areas of the border district Rajouri, where continuous snowfall and rainfalls have turned life out of gear in recent past. "And taking an advantage of the closure of Mughal Road due to heavy snowfall, illegal extraction of timber by the people has become order of the day in these areas, they lamented. Since the blockage of famous Mughal road owing to snowfall, local people have started damaging the forests. Sources also said that a large chunk of trees have axed down during these winters in Pir Panjal area especially on Mughal Road. "The trees were also fallen during the heavy windstorm in the area and with no traffic on Mughal road, they added. Local resident Mohammed Abdullah claimed that since past two months there is electric supply in this area, no LPG cylinders supply forced people of this region to cut trees for their survival. Another village of Channi Mad admitted that cutting of trees is illegal and it equally affected our atmosphere, but owing to government negligence people used to cut trees for their survival. "Government needs to fulfill and provide basic amenities to people to these snow bounded area, so that people could save trees," he added. "What do you expect from people to do, when there is not gas supply, no power, and they are left with no option rather to go to past and conventional means to beat the winter chill, " another villager said. A roadside walker could see large number of people including women and children were seen on Mughal roads ferrying timber, but one including this correspondent hardly see any government or forest department employee to check this practice. Despite several attempt to contact forest conservator of Rajouri, we have failed to contact him for his version. |
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