The Kashmir Scenario Exclusive
In Kashmir the precious forest wealth is damaged and looted not only by criminals but astonishingly on majority of instances by those who are supposed to be its guardians as ground reports of The Kashmir Scenario reveal this grim veracity. While there are heaps of files with each application left over in dust, submitted by the needy people for the allocation of genuine timber from the forest department in various districts of Kashmir, the illegal timber smuggling has now become a daily routine in almost all districts of Kashmir. From serrated terrain of Rafiabad, North Kashmir to serene Shopian and Aharbal areas of South Kashmir, smuggling of timber is made possible through the use of ponies and load carriers. Axing down the trees is so common there that the practice has started triggering landslides.
All these negative developments are taking place seemingly under full official patronage.
From North Kashmir, Mir Arif Reports:
During two decades of turbulence, thick forests of North Kashmir were wantonly plundered by timber smugglers. The concerned officials were prevented from doing their duties due to the presence of militants in the forests and their frequent armed encounters with security forces. Taking advantage of that situation, smugglers illegally harvested and sold huge quantities of timber in and outside the state for handsome rates.
However, the drives for afforestation and regulating laws of forest by the government failed to bring out any concrete steps to protect the lush green forests and the wildlife, which got affected because of deforestation.
Locals of Naribal and Balhama stated that another area under compartment 20 and 40 of Balhama Pathri was looted in broad day light and realities state tall claim of the concerned officials that cutting down of Deodars and Kairoo trees without their knowing is all wrong. Indeed, they are much aware about everything but don’t take action against because they all are involved and support the forest mafia team.
The locals are also aghast over the fact that it is pity that the forest staff which is supposed to protect forests has entered into the criminal nexus with forest mafia to give it biggest dent.
In this regard, Forester Yaseen Ahmad who is having Balhama compartments under his jurisdiction was caught red handed by locals with illegally extracted timber near Panzlana at about 8 pm which was carried in a load carrier. The locals tried to stop him but he fled the spot .When our correspondent contacted the said forester to inquire about the matter he used unparliamentarily and threatening language.
While talking to Ranger Officer of Rafiabad, Altaf Ahmad, related to some involvement of the concerned forester in the Mafia Nexus, he said, “There may or may not be any such thing but one thing is for sure that you cannot lay hands on the forester as he is a cousin of MLA. The official also used abusive and foul language.”
Due to unabated greed of forest officials and forest mafia, the fresh reports of illegal extraction of lush green trees have become a routine matter to put forth in notice especially in upper compartments of Rafiabad forest.
When The Kashmir Scenario contacted the DFO, Langate Range Tawheed Deva and awakened him about the grim realities he stated –“ This is a matter of serious concern and we would initiate a thorough probe into this and let me assure you that whosoever is found guilty would be accordingly taken to task.”
To further investigate into the mafia nexus, the Kashmir scenario tried contacting Mian Javaid, Conservator of Forests for north Kashmir he opined that a strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty in this regard.
We Further tried to contact Mian Altaf, Min ister of Forestry, Ecology and Environment but he didn’t receive.
From south Kashmir
South Kashmir too is witnessing unabated destruction on of forests in all the districts and the worrying statistics bear epitome to this veracity .In one of the Data produced recently by Dr Manohar Lal on behalf of the Minister of Forests in the legislative Assembly, revealed that total forest area of the State is 20230 square kms and 11151.57 hectares have been diverted for non-forestry use in terms of J&K Forest Conservation Act up to December 31, 2012.
During the year 2010-2011, 18.30 lakh plants have been planted under CAMPA forest scheme, while as 29.73 lakh plants and 14 lakh plants were planted up to December 2012 under the scheme for ensuring afforestation in the State, besides plantation operations have also been carried out by Social Forestry Department, State Forest Research Institute (SFRI) and Wild Life Protection Department (WLPD) which goes around 7.58 lakh and 1.40 lakh plants planted during 2011-12.
According to the sources like Anantnag district, shocking figures of illegal encroachment of jungle land prevail in Shopian, Kulgam, Bandipora and Kupwara districts where thousands of hectares of forest land are still in possession of land Mafias and concerned authorities seem helpless. The sources reveal that in Shopian district there are still 773.32 hectares of forest land in possession of land Mafias in various compartments which include Sedow, Heerpora, Borihalan, Kathohalan, Keller and various compartments on both sides of Mughal road and Forest department which is yet to wake up from deep sleep.
Even a ground visit of The Kashmir Scenario team recently to Aharbal revealed that a number of areas of this once lush green area are facing tremendous deforestation and officials are in deep slumber.
According to our exclusive survey from South Kashmir, the Compartments in District Shopian and Pulwama especially Nitowali and Sangarwani Block ,Zampather Block , Anderwali Block comprised of RI 23, R124 ,RI 19, RI 26, RI 32 N12,N1A,N1B are worst hit.
When contacted the concerned DFO ,M.Ashraf about the matter he did not cooperate.
End-Analysis
From North to South the loot and plunder of green gold is going unabated and it looks that authorities are simply acting as Mafias and one hopes that more seriousness is shown to tackle the menace of illegal cutting of green gold.