Kupwara: In Northern Kashmir’s Kupwara district of Kamraj Forest Division Kupwara, one deodar green tree was axed allegedly by five timber smugglers including a sarpanch in Khumriyaal area of Headquarter beat of Kupwara Forest Range .
According to a source “seizure of Illicit deodar sawn timber 42 cfts and Firewood 07 qtls got seized in compartment 119 of Kupwara Range by the party deputed by Conservator of Forests North Circle Sopore during intervening night on Tuesday”.
Meanwhile officials told kupwaratimes.com that Forest Department employees seized 42 Cfts of timber and 07 qtls firewood from Khumriyaal head quarter around 8:30 PM on Tuesday.
“The seized stocks has been carted down to depot at Zangli”, they said.
An official source said that the cost of axed deodar trees would be in lakhs, an FIR bearing No.0281 Dated : 07/08/2022 in the instant case stands registered against 05 smugglers including Sarpanch in Police Station Kupwara. ( The copy of FIR copy is lying with kupwaratimes.com)
Inhabitants of the area alleged that if the practice of illegal cutting of green gold is going on in the said area for long why the concerned territorial officials and Forest Protection Force staff acted as mute spectators.
