Details

Written by: Tahir Nadeem Khan Yusafzai

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 04 March 2015

DODA: After continuous crusade by Media against the illegal loggers in Chinab Circle, it seems that finally officials have woken from its deep slumber and have ordered an inquiry beside attaching a Forester and suspending a beat guard for their alleged involvement in green felling.   Mohd. Amin Sheikh Forester has been attached and beat Guard Lehar Singh suspended, both the officials were posted at Kulhand block of Kuntwara Range in Doda Forest Division from where 3 freshly sawed down over clipper green Cedar trees were seized by FPF on 28th of February.

" The beat guard has been suspended and Forester attached, I have initiated an inquiry and asked  DFO to complete the investigation at the earliest and submit full and final report within four days. I assure you that stern action will be taken against the officials involved in this illegal practice as we have taken serious note of green felling ", said Conservator Chinab Circle Mahesh Dogra adding that green felling and looting of Forest wealth will not be tolerated and officials involved have face the music for dereliction of duties or facilitating illegal felling.

It is notable to mention here that on 28th of February in a bizarre incident of looting green gold three over clipper green Cedar trees were sawed down at compartment 65 in forest block Kulhand of Kuntwarra range of forest Division Doda by the forest Mafia reportedly on the behest of Range Officer. And only after media persons intervened and informed Director FPF, a team of FPF sleuths was deputed to Kulhand from where three over-sized Green trees which were illegally sawed down were seized and a case registered.

It is pertinent to mention here that reports of massive green felling and deliberate Forest Fire in Shadivan, Gundana and Kulhand blocks of Kuntwara range and Koti , Dandal and Gadhi blocks in Siraj Range of Doda Forest Division made headlines and Media exposed the nexus of Forest officials and Mafia several times since last three months,  but no concrete action was taken against the officers or Mafia , which  boosted the morale of Forest mafia in general and corrupt officials in particular resulting in mass destruction of forest wealth and massacre of green pine and cedar trees with increased intensity.

Beside Doda Forest Division illegal green felling and Incidents of deliberate Forest Fire was also reported from Bulandpur and Behota blocks of Marmat Range in Batote Forest Division and Chirala, Killar and Bhalesa Ranges of Bhaderwah Forest Division in Chinab Circle but again not even an inquiry was initiated despite losing Forest wealth worth crores which raised serious doubt against the functioning of senior and middle rang Forest officers in Chinab Circle.
 
It's notable to mention here that scientists more recently at Bangkok have warned that Large-scale deforestation could cause monsoon rains to shift south, cutting rainfall in India by nearly a fifth, scientists say. Deforestation has long been known to cause temperature increases in local areas, but new research published on  Tuesday shows a potentially wider impact on monsoon rains.