Green felling in Loran Forests of Poonch
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 4: The Government has ordered enquiry by a four member committee headed by Conservator of Forests, East Circle Jammu to hold detailed probe in felling of large number of Deodar and other green trees in Haveli Forest Range of Poonch Forest Division and fix responsibility on the people responsible for it.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the major damage has been caused to the forests in Compartment No. 109, 110 of Bracher Beat besides Cib and Bella Balla forests in Loran area of Mandi, falling under Haveli Range. Over 70-80 green trees including some medium type, reported to have been felled by the forest mafia with the active connivance of some insiders, the sources added.
The senior Forest officials when came to know about the matter through some locals, they directed DFO Poonch Suresh Manda to send a team to the area. The team reportedly managed to recover and seize 324 recently felled timber sleepers and logs from Bracher area of Loran. It is believed that the timber smugglers managed to lift and transport more than 600 sleepers from these areas within last one and half month.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu, K Ramesh Kumar when contacted said that on the directions of the Government, PCCF, Dr Mohit Gera has constituted a committee to hold detailed probe into the matter, have assessment of damages and fix responsibility on the people responsible for it. He said one week time has been given to the committee to complete the process and submit its report to Government.
CCF disclosed that while CF East, B Mohan Das is heading the Committee, the other members are-Dy Director Forest Protection Force Kathua BS Slathia, Yadav Kumar, Asstt Director FPF Rajouri and Nadeem Iqbal Malik, RO Grade-I, Technical Officer to CF West, Rajouri.
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