The wanton plunder of green gold continues in various blocks of Ganderbal district including Gund, Ganiwon, Mammar, Aakhil Kangan and adjoining areas by smugglers, while concerned officials turn blind eye towards the matter of grave public importance.
Reports said that hundreds of trees are being choked and brought down illegally in the compartment no 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,&9 of Aakhil Kangan,22,23,24,25,26 of Ganiwon Mammar,36,37,38,39,40,41,42 of Gund block and 65,66 of Razan which lie in Sindh forest range of Kangan in district Ganderbal.
According to locals the smugglers cut down green trees in the broad day light and sell it to local and people of other parts of district.
“Once the Sindh forest range of Kangan was famous for its quality and quantity is now depleting with pace”.
A local wishing anonymity told KNS: “The smugglers are backed by some politicians and top police officials to loot the green gold without any hesitation.”
The smugglers are cutting green trees on daily basis for firewood and new constructions, which possess a threat to environment.
Locals alleged that the concerned authorities are turning blind eye towards the matter. The irony is that even not a single man of forest protection force acts to check the timber smuggling in the area.
The inaction of chief conservator of forest and concerned Ranger has rubbed salt on the wounds.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThe chopping of trees on daily basis is turning dense forests into an open field.
"We have brought the complaint several times in the notice of chief conservator of forest and Ranger, but they both didn't take any action. Even they didn't bother to respond phone calls,” a group of locals said.
The construction of new hotels and Dabbas in Sonamarg are not far away from using the illegal timber. “The owners of the hotel are in close contact with smugglers to make timber at low price for the construction of their hotels,” a local said.
The sanction of timber at depots also inconvenienced the local residents. The sanction of timber is only allotted to high profile people, resulted in suffering of common people.
The forest department had sanctioned a nursery in the Hayan area of Kangan worth Rs 80 lakhs, funded by central government directly into the accounts of officials. But for the said work no tender notice was invited to make money in their pockets. The fencing of nursery had not done in concrete which possess threat to the nursery.
MoS forest, Ab Majeed Paddar told KNS that nobody would be allowed to cut the green trees. “Anyone involved will face music,” he said. (KNS)