Excelsior Correspondent
BHADARWAH, June 30: Foiling a major attempt of interstate smugglers to illegally transport endangered medicinal herb, Zakhm-e-Hayat (Bergenia Ciliata), forest officials seized a huge consignment of the rare herb at interstate border here in Doda district on Saturday night.
According to reports sleuths of Territorial Forest Department led by DFO Bhadarwah Chander Shekhar and Range Officer, Shafqat Khakan Malik laid a night naka at Padri meadow on interstate Bhaderwah-Chamba road and at 9.30 pm and managed to seize 500 kg of Zakhm-e-Hayat worth Rs 3.50 lakh. The endangered herb was being illegally transported to Chamba town of HP on mules.
“We have been getting information regarding smuggling of banned herbs to the neighboring states. Last night we managed to seize a huge consignment, but the smugglers managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness and difficult landscape,” said DFO Chander Shekhar.
“We have identified the smugglers who hail from Thanhala village and they will be booked for violation of Section 6 of Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act 1987,” the DFO maintained adding that the seized herbs have been brought to the office of Bhaderwah Forest Division.
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