Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 22: Forest Department today seized around 3.5 quintals of banned forest produce from a trader in Kanak Mandi area here.
As per official spokesperson, on specific information, a team of Forest officials headed by Varinder Singh Range Officer, Jammu, Kailash Choudhary, Block Officer Paloura and Forest staff under the supervision of Dr VS Senthil Kumar Divisional Forest Officer Jammu conducted raid in the premises of M/s Ved Parkash and Brothers (Amit Trading) at Kanak Mandi.
During the raid, 3.46 quintals of banned forest produce has been seized from the trader. The estimated value of the seized forest produce is Rs 6 lakh.
This is for the first time that Forest Department conducted a search operation in the shop located in Kanak Mandi.
A case has been registered for violation of Section 6, 15, 16, 36-A and 39 of J&K Forest Act. The Range Officer Jammu is entrusted for further investigation of this case. The case has been submitted to the Authorized Officer (DFO Jammu) under Section 26 of the J&K Forest Act for initiating confiscation proceedings.
The seized forest produce are mostly extracted illegally from forest areas of higher reaches of Chenab Valley and Rajouri Poonch areas. Most of them are being illegally transported to outside the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel