Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 25: A team of Forest Division Jammu today dismantled two illegal saw mills and seized timber and other material in Akhnoor tehsil.
During the operation, the saw mills owned and operated by Palli Ram (M/s Malhotra Saw Mill furniture Works) and Joginder Lal (M/s JD Sodhi & Co.), located at Nardi Wala in tehsil Akhnoor were dismantled by the field staff of Jammu Forest Division led by Range Officer Bahu Ajit Chander and Sham Lal Khajuria, Range Officer Kalidhar along with staff of anti- encroachment wing.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of Conservator of Forests, East Circle Jammu B M Sharma and DFO Jammu Dr VS Senthil Kumar.
The DFO said that these saw mills were functioning illegally in violation of SRO 103 of 2012 Saw Mills Rules. He said there was resistance from the owners of the illegal saw mills but the situation was handled and the parts of saw mill viz Wheel, Motor, Saw Band and sawn timber and logs were seized and brought to Forest Complex Gladni Jammu.
BM Sharma, Conservator of Forests East Circle Jammu was supervising the dismantling operations personally.
The Forest Offence Report (FOR) has been registered against owners of these saw mills for violation of SRO 103 and under various sections of J&K Forest Act. The Range Officer concerned has submitted an application to DFO Jammu for initiating confiscation proceeding under Section 26 of J&K Forest Act.
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