Bandipora, Apr 23(KNB): In a major development, Illicit timber was seized by forest protection force from the forests of Aloosa Village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Saturday, officials said.
According to forest Department official sources, acting on a tip off, FPF and the officials of the Forest department from Control Room Bandipora carried out searches in Compartment No.19 in Aloosa Block of Bandipora” and recorded 6 numbers of illegally damaged stumps, seized 114 cft of illicit timber adding while the smugglers had fled from the spot.
The sources said that the forests in Aloosa Bandipora district continue to face the threat from the smugglers who are carrying out this illegal practice.
Locals alleged that the forest department had failed to check and stop smuggling in Aloosa Block, adding officials of forest department are league with the smugglers and that might be the reason the higher officials of forest Department has failed to act against the erring looters involved in chopping down green trees and its ground staffers who are giving them free hand.
“This is not the first time in Aloosa block that illicit timber was seized, Police had made several arrests and recovered illicit timber in the Aloosa Block area,” said one of the local.
Pertain to mention here, last year Bandipora Police seized timber in Aloosa block and arrested serveral smugglers.(KNB)