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| Powerful Range Officer facilitates ‘Khair Wood’ cutting, transportation illegally | | |  Ajay Sharma
Early Times Report
Reasi, Apr 18: An ‘influential’ Range Officer posted in Jammu Division of the Forest Department has allegedly been facilitating ‘Khair Wood’ cutting cum transportation illegally.
Sources informed that this Range Officer allegedly in connivance with Divisional Forest Officer and Block Officer has been carrying out malpractice in the division.
They informed that earlier the permission for transportation was fixed upto Mar 31 but later it was extended to April 30, 2021. “There is a guideline that transportation of Khair wood can’t be allowed during night hours. But yesterday a tractor loaded with Khair wood was stopped during evening time by police at a nakka due to restriction on it but shockingly after 20 minutes the concerned Range Officer reached the spot and got it released from police,” they added.
They further said that the tractor had to go 50 kms away from that spot. The geo tagged photo of a tractor loaded with khair wood and the vehicle of a Range Officer are in possession of Early Times, which vindicate that illegal transportation was being carried out.
When Early Times tried to contact a senior official in this connection he expressed his helplessness and said that he can’t do anything in this matter.
It has been leant that the alleged Range Officer is being backed by a high profile politician due to which nobody dares to touch him.
Not only this even the local residents informed the concerned Conservator of Forest and Chief Conservator of Forest about illegal cutting and transportation of Khair Wood but no action was taken by them till date.
Pertinently, Early Times has already published news items regarding illegal cutting of Khair wood in some divisions.
Locals have urged the Anti Corruption Bureau to take note of the illegal activities and have demanded that FIR should be registered against the erring officials.
Chief Conservator Forest, when contacted, said that he can’t talk as he is busy in a meeting. |
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