BADHARWAH: Illegal wood along with machinery and other equipment were seized by Forest department personnel along with a team of forest protection force from a private wood sale depot in the village Sungli of Bhaderwah on Saturday. A team of Forest personnel seized the logs worth lakhs of rupees along with machinery, planners and dozens of windows, doors from the village in the compartment 44 and 45, officials said.
Conservator Forest Chenab circle T B Singh said that planner of the sawmills and wood sale depot were operating illegally. “The premises have been sealed and the machines dismantled. There was some resistance from the operators and their staff but the situation was controlled,” he said. “The parts of the machines, like wheels, blades, belt and Chundi etc were seized. The confiscation proceedings have been initiated under Section 26 of J&K Forest Act,” he said.