Such operations will continue and not even a single smuggler will be spared:Joint Director FPF Kashmir Irfan Rasool Wan
Reyaz Rashid
Baramulla, Aug 17: In a major operation carried out by Forest Protection Force K- 07 Baramulla unit against illicit timber smuggling, huge quantity of illicit timber was seized from the premises of a joinery mill in Vijibal Doabgah locality of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Tuesday.
Talking to Kashmir Images Joint Director FPF Kashmir Irfan Rasool Wani said that the joinery unit belonging to Mohammad Ashraf Sofi located in Doabgah forest range was under watch list of department as the unit was involved in illicit timber trade.
“Following the inputs received regarding presence of illicit timber dumped the house of owner of the joinery mill, a party was deputed for carrying out checking operation. The party seized illicit timber Deodar/Kail 24 No.s=84.91 cft from his house during the search operation and it was taken into custody,” said Irfan Rasool Joint Director FPF Kashmir added.
The accused persons Mohammad Ashraf Sofi and his accomplice Manzoor Ahmed Khan have been booked in the instant forest damage case.
As per reports, these accused persons have been involved in causing damages to forest in compartments 2 and 3 of Doabgah Range and today’s seizure operation is being hailed as major success in forest protection efforts.
An official said that a formal report has been submitted by FPF and Range officer Doabgah to Police Station Sopore for registering FIR in the instant case.
Wani further said that such operations will continue and not even a single smuggler will be spared and all the necessary actions warranted under the forest act would be taken strictly against who so ever will be responsible for any type of damage to the forests.
Meanwhile, people from cross section of society have hailed the efforts of forest department and Chief Conservator Forest North Kashmir Irfan Rasool for the curbing the unabated forest loot.