news details |
|
|
| Timber smugglers rob green gold in Keshwan, one arrested | | |  Early Times Report
KISHTWAR, Apr 24: While the world is busy in fighting COVID-19, the timber smugglers in Keshwan area of Kishtwar district has taken advantage of the situation and managed to cut hundreds of green trees by using power cutter machines.
Following specific inputs that timber smugglers in one such incident of illegal green felling by using power cutters in Keshwan forest beat, the forest officials launched a search operation led by Range officer Thakrai with Block officer Keshwan and his team yesterday which concluded today.
After intensive search in Keshwan beat in snow bound areas, one power cutter was seized from the possession of accused Mohammad Shafi who was arrested on spot.
As per forest official, the accused is habitual offender and was involved in similar incidents in past as well.
A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of Forest laws.
It is pertinent to mention here that Keshwan forest range falls in Kishtwar district but its territorial control is under Forest Division Doda.
People time and again demanded shifting of judicial control of Keshwan forest range to Kishtwar Forest Department for effective monitoring and control but nothing was done by successive governments.
The locals demanded action against all those involved in green felling and its illicit trade.
Speaking to Early Times, whistle blower Deepak Sharma said that the villagers were constantly receiving information about the illegal green felling in the area adding that in order to verify the facts on ground he personally visited the forest area with some local youths.
He said that it was shocking to see large scale destruction of raw green trees.
Sharma said that he was shocked to see green felling at such magnitude adding that he immediately took up the matter with senior forest officials who launched a hunt in the area and managed to recover one power cutter so far from the area.
“I called for setting up of high level committee to probe into the green felling in Keshwan belt and also in other parts of Chenab belt, particularly in Kishtwar district so that guilty whosoever involved in this heinous crime should be punished and brought to justice,” Deepak Sharma maintained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
