Reyaz Rashid
Baramulla: Acting swiftly officials of forest department has seized 44 cubic feet illicit timber in forest block Kitchama’s compartment no 03/Bla at Zandafaran village in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
“Acting on specific inputs, a forest officials team led by Range Officer Ghulam Jeelani and Block Officer (BO) forest block Kitchama Mohammad Ramzan along with concerned field staff seized illicit timber Deodar six logs round measuring 44 cft in the foothills of forest compartment number 03 at Zandafarn village,’ the official sources said.
“The illicit logs of timber of a dry fallen deodar tree were camouflaged under braches and fire wood. However, despite Covid-19 pandemic forest officials seized the timber and shifted to the forest division Baramulla. Besides a case under FIR no 35/2021 under 26 IFA has been registered against the accused timber smugglers in police station Sheeri and investigation have been started,” the official sources said.
People of the area has hailed the efforts of concerned forest officials for their swift action against the timber smugglers and demanded stern action against those involved in loot of green gold.
While confirming the seizure of illicit timber, Divisional Forest Officer JV Division Baramulla Parvaiz Ahmad Wani said that forest officials have been directed to intensify vigil and further tighten noose of offenders besides book them under the provisions of Indian Forest Act.
‘It’s on record that as per Indian state of Forest Report-2019 the green cover of Jammu and Kashmir in general and Baramulla district in particular had increased which is the result of multipronged approach for better protection and forestation programmes taken by the department,” he added.