Mohammad Tahir:
SRINAGAR: The wanton loot of forests is unabated in some forests areas of central Kashmir’s Budgam district as the timber is being supplied in between Tarawee and Sehri time, and same is being ferried to sale in many parts of valley.
According to sources that, timber smugglers are taking advantage of Ramdhan, the smugglers chop off the trees with impunity and the same timber is being supplied by the timber mafias to some of the areas in Budgam and Srinagar districts.
Sources informed that, the timber smugglers have taken due advantage of the ongoing month of fasting (Ramdhan) as they knew that most of the people including forest employees are remaining busy with prayers.
They said that, there are some of the areas in Budgam district where a massive scale of green forests were chopped off including in Doodpathri, Diskhal,Yousmarag, Khag, Tangnar, Mujpathri, Palmaidan, and Pakharpora.
“This is the peak time of tourism, and tourists prefer to visit forest areas like Gulmarag, Sonamarag, Yousmarag, and this time I don’t think that tourists will visit this place of Central Kashmir district, as most of areas of Yousmarag have got badly affected,” said sources.
Sources said that few days back the smugglers had chopped off some giant trees for the purpose of smuggling, after which villagers had noticed but they failed to inform the authorities concerned due to shortage of time.
“The forests are assets of Kashmir and its beauty in many ways, but one can understand that, it is due to callous attitude of forest department, it seems that some of the employees of forest department are hand in glove with smugglers; otherwise such wanton loot in Budgam district is not possible at all,” Source said.
There is a wide range of construction that is going on in full swing in all parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and mostly people prefer wood in their construction, like of windows and doors, as the sustainability of Deedoar and Kair is of hundred years or so, and where from they can get it expect the is no illegal business of timber, said sources.
Even though some dry trees were also set on fire for charcoal purposes and the concerned departments is least bothered about such unfortunate incidents and if same was not stopped, there will be a great loss to the state exchequer, sources added.
Sources said that the concerned authorities should take notice of this unabated loot of forests at the earliest, so that some other green trees can be saved well in time.