Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh on Saturday said the government would act tough against the timber smugglers across the Kashmir region.The Minister said this while taking a review meeting of the Forest and allied departments here. He said the department has been receiving complaints about increasing timber smuggling in areas including Trehgam, Manigrah, Hyhama, Kandi, Mawar, Langate, Rajwar in north Kashmir districts while as similar complaints have been received from areas including Khansahab, Waterhail, Doodpathri, Arin Bunkoot, Bandipora, in central Kashmir’s district Budgam. He said that there were similar complaints coming from the DH Pora, Pahalgam areas of south Kashmir. The Minister said the Department had initiated an inquiry into incidents and has found out that most of these complaints were baseless. The meeting was attended by all HoDs of Department of Forest and its allied wings.The Minister directed the officers to keep vigil on the timber smuggling in vulnerable prone areas and said that those involved in the crime won’t be spared. He also appealed people not to give ears to the rumors and help the Government in restoring the pristine glory of the Forests.
The Minister also directed the Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) of the Kashmir region to remain present in their place of positing and take a detailed review of their divisions.“How could the officers sit silent on such a huge magnitude of destruction of our green gold,” Mr Singh said. “We pray the situation gets back to normalcy and we will have a detailed tour to these areas and access the situation personally,” Mr Singh said.The Minister after taking the cognizance of the media reports over timber smuggling in forest areas hailed the media fraternity for keeping a vigil of such activities and bringing it to the notice of the Government. He asked officials to encourage journalists t come forward and write on the affairs of the Forest Department.“If we find any of the official involved or having any nexus with the smugglers, they won’t be spared,” Mr Singh said.Mr Singh urged media fraternity and civil society members to raise awareness about the ill effects of the forest degradation.“Degradation of forests means end to the natural cycle. We are disturbing the ecology so we have to come forward and save our forests on priority,” the Minister said.Later the Minister also directed officials to work for the plantation drives to be launched shortly. He said that all the areas across the State should be brought under the massive plantation drives.