Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Nov 17: There has been a sharp rise in the felling of trees in the Doodganga forest range in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district with the forest department acting as mute spectators to the wanton pillage of green gold.
In a recent example, the Forest Department recovered around 400- square feet of illicit timber from Qaisar Mohalla of Chadoora area in Budgam. As per the officials of the department, the smuggler was a repeated offender and would operate during night hours. “He was operating overnight and we were pursuing him for some days. We got information at around 5 am and immediately nabbed him despite being odd working hours,” an official said, adding that they were preparing a detailed report of the matter and would take stern action against the guilty.
Interestingly, the development took place a few days after the department denied complaints of substantial timber smuggling in the area in its report. The report was a response to a group of activists who spotted the mischief during their tracking expedition in the range. “Damage to forest crop has been alleged at Char Jinn, Liddermund, Freshnag and Bargah, which are remote and inaccessible areas devoid of road and mobile connectivity. Damage has been checked in these areas but found only at Char Jinn compartment of the area,” the report stated.
Contesting the claims, Founder Jammu and Kashmir RTI Movement, Dr. Raja Muzaffar, who was leading the tracking team, said the report was prepared with an intention to save the employees for being careless, as he has personally seen the damage in other areas.
“I have myself seen the damage caused in Frasnag and Liddermud areas and as far as Bargah forest as well. The checking party only went with our team on Sept 29th, 2020 to Charjin. They should have themselves also seen the other areas like Frasnag and Liddermud. What were they doing in Yusmarg for 3 to 4 days? Why didn’t they move around the whole forest area voluntarily? Is it necessary that people will first complain before the Conservator or Chief Conservator or PCCF and then only Forest officials will act? The Government is paying salaries to forest officers,” he said.
Moreover, he claimed that the report was also self-contradictory. “The report says damage at Char Jin was caused two years back in 2018, but in the same para it mentioned that damage has taken place between August to October 2019 when there was no mobile connectivity in J&K amid abrogation of Article 370”, he said
He asked if the report stated that the damages were two years old why did it mention the plunder happened in Aug-Oct in 2019. “Does this mean the forests were looted only a year back? I have shot the videos wherein the bark of the trees was still fresh indicating the damages were fresh. It indicates that damage caused to some trees were as fresh as June or July 2020. The report also says our group showed ignorance about damage caused to forests in other areas other than Char Jin, this is completely a wrong statement which I refute,” he said.
Refuting the claims, Conservator of Forests for Srinagar circle, Zubair Ahmad Shah, said that their team had gone to all the locations and the report was prepared based on the ground situation. “We visited every place and found the damage at only one place, Char Jinn. We immediately took action by changing the range officer and attached the forest guard,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that there was a need to improve the surveillance and communication of the area. “For better surveillance, we are developing the extractor paths and wireless communication in the remote areas of the forest,” he said.
Asked about their recommendation of constructing a road in the forest, he said: “We are only developing the extractor paths which are temporary and usually used to ferry the timber. They cannot harm the forest,” he said.
Under an order number, CF/SGR/Estt/PS/425-29 dated 21.09.2020 a four-member forest officers committee was constituted by the Conservator Forests Srinagar circle on the direction of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) who is the head of forest force in J&K. The team directed to look into the damage that was caused to forests amid COVID 19 pandemic or even before that.
Meanwhile, the concerned activists have requested PCCF and Conservator Forests Srinagar circle to look into the matter. “Both the officers are known for their integrity, but that must reflect through actions also. If the department does not act we will be forced to seek legal intervention by way of filing a complaint before the National Green Tribunal”, they maintained.
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