Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, June 5: Illegal felling of trees and land grabbing by the local land mafia in connivance with some field Forest officials and plunder of `green gold’ goes on unchecked in Lam and Qila Darhal area of Nowshera Forest Division.
Some local Panchayat members of the area told the Excelsior that taking undue benefit of lock down due to Corona pandemic, some field staff members of Forest Department in connivance of the land mafia has felled a large number of trees in several compartments in Qila Darhal, Rajpura Patta and Lam belt of Nowshera recently. A large number of green pine trees have been felled and transported to different locations despite protest by the local Panchayat members and social activists.
Some videos and photos circulate in social media sites have shown a JCB machine felling pine trees in forest areas near Police Post, Lam ad some other locations. The land mafia people have also built several huts/ structures even inside the fencing in Qila Darhal, Thalka, Druni Gala of block Qila Darhal, Marchola, Kund, Badi Gala and Mawa Patrara of Block Sunderbani. At many places these people have breached the fencing. This all happened under the nose of some forest field staff members, who perhaps avoid to report the matter to the senior officers.
Sources further revealed that many illegal saw mills are functioning in the area. They have granted permission for small machine/saw of 18 inches but physically they have operating with even 42 inches saw at some places.
At a time when Government and its functionaries have been giving its full attention towards the containment of COVID-19 pandemic in J&K, the reports of illegal felling of green trees in the some parts of the Rajouri have raised serious concern about degradation of environment. The locals of the area have alleged that slackness on the part of Forest department staff has resulted in massive damage to forest.
They further said that few days ago JCBs were used near Police Post Lam area for cutting small pine trees from forest when there is total ban on plying of vehicles and any such activity. Although some social activists raised before Forest Department but no action was taken against the culprits.
They further informed that on April 13, 2020 Lam police had seized a tractor with the help of locals. A trolley laden with pine tree logs remained there for some time and then the issue was resolved locally.The locals also brought the matter to the notice of DFO Nowshera.
Conservator of Forests West Circle Jammu, B Mohan Dass when contacted said that the matter had come to his notice some time back. He said DFO Nowshera has been directed to conduct inquiry into the matter and forward report so that action in this regard is taken. He said during lock down some people have tried to take undue advantage and cause damage to forests. Action under law would be taken against such people and even against own staff, if their involvement was established, he added.
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