Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Oct 16: The Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Jammu, Sameer Bharti has ordered an inquiry into the mysterious missing of 38 large logs of Fir and spruce species from the Forest complex at Poonch.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu took cognizance of the matter after he received specific complaint from a junior official of the Forest Division, Poonch a few days ago. It was revealed that the Forest team from Poonch led by the then DFO Poonch along with a Range Officer and Block Forest officer besides a few Guards had seized the timber logs which had been illegally axed by some locals of Sawjian area in Mandi tehsil with the possible connivance of some insiders in the Forest Department.
These logs had been lying in the steep Nallah on the road side in Sawjian Block of Poonch Forest Division and had been felled from the nearby forest area, causing extensive damage to the green gold. The DFO seized the illegally felled 38 logs on March 19, 2018. This stuff was then shifted to safe custody vide DFO No. 6025-26 dated 19-3-2018 to Poonch. These large logs measuring more than 120 cft, were then transported to Forest complex Poonch through Block Officer Sawjian (Mandi) and subsequently he intimated to the DFO concerned vide his office letter No. 1146 dated 24-3-2018.
After this incident, the DFO Poonch also attached and charge-sheeted the Beat Guard vide his office order No. 1120-21 dated 19-3-2018. After several months, these logs went mysteriously missing from the ‘safe custody’ at Forest complex Poonch. It was later learnt that these were allegedly sold by an officer of the Division to the local fire wood sale depot and not even single penny was remitted in the Govt Treasury by violating J&K Forest Act. No cognizance of the case was taken or even challaned in the court after identifying the accused persons while the case officially is still at inquiry stage.
CCF Jammu, Bharti when contacted said that he has received a complaint in this connection from Poonch Forest Division. He said a three member committee including a senior official from Forest Protection Force, is being constituted which would hold thorough inquiry into the matter and submit report fixing responsibility on the officials concerned. He said it has been learnt that the seized stuff was sold to the local SFC depot by the concerned official/ officials, setting aside the necessary formalities. He said a time bound impartial inquiry would be conducted in this regard.
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