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| Shortage in Depots Triggers Timber Smuggling | | Govt promoting forest loot | | Salman Nizami
JAMMU JULY 27: The shortage of timber at forest depots in Jammu province during the last two months has delayed construction works and forced consumers to get timber through illegal means.
The non-availability of timber has also rendered the construction work of many government buildings including schools and Panchayat ghars incomplete in the proviance.
The Public works department Ramban has made a payment of about Rs 10 lakh for timber in march 2009 for the construction of buildings but the department is yet to get it.
A senior officer alleged that the department of Forests was delaying the supply of timber only to sell the same at higher rates later.
He said the shortage of timber has rendered construction work of number of government buildings. Having sanction of hundred feet (each) of deodar and keil, at least 80 consumers of Banihal, Gool, and Ramban, areas said that they were making rounds of Forest depots for weeks now. They said that due to the shortage of timber at depots, many consumers were forced to get the timber by illegal means of smuggling.
“There is no timber available at most of depots in banihal area. In May, I managed to obtain a sanction of hundred feet timber but am yet to get it. Hundreds of consumers having sanction from department are still making rounds of depots but return back dejected. The shortage of timber has forced people to turn to smuggling,” said, Ab. Aziz of Kharpura Banihal.
Residents of Batote and, chanderkoot said that there was no timber available at depots in these areas. These residents fall under Ramban forest division.
The dismayed consumers said that in peak season of construction work, the shortage of timber has rendered the construction works incomplete.” The days are long and sunny and this is the peak season of construction work every where in the district but we are unable to make full use of season due to the shortage of timber. It has led to smuggling in many villages as the consumers have either turned to forests for timber or used the services of timber smugglers. The forest division Ramban is least bothered about making timber available at depots,” said, Shamsudin khan of ramban, who has made payment for sanction of 100 feet timber on April 25.
Conservator of forests admitted that there was shortage of timber at depots and said timber would be dumped at the depots and supplied to consumers within a couple of weeks.
The officer told Early Times that according to a government order, the State Forest Corporation (SFC) has to supply the timber for the construction of government buildings.
In fact, the SFC has to supply the timber for government buildings and not the forest department. But the forests department was waiting for orders by the government to supply timber for the construction of school buildings,” said the conservator. Meanwhile, Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf when contacted said that it was not in my notice,I will direct the concerned officials regarding the matter. He said the timber would be made available at the depots within two weeks.
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