Forest official & smuggler nexus turning Pulwama forests barren

PULWAMA — The nexus between timber smugglers and forest officials is fast turning several forest compartments of Pulwama into barren open fields.

Locals have also encroached upon the forests and grazing grounds by erecting structures illegally.

According to sources, the forest department employees have allowed the felling of hundreds of green trees by smugglers, especially in compartment numbers 19, 20, and 21. Sources added that the smuggled timber has been sold off in the market for lakhs of rupees.

“The forest officials are facilitating the supply of timber up to safe points in exchange of share in sales of this illegally sold timber which fetches lakhs of rupees in the open market. Several people have encroached upon the forest areas and grazing grounds also by erecting structures or fencing the patches of land by steel wires as authorities have turned a blind eye towards all these illegal activities in Sangarwani and Tharnoo areas of Pulwama district,” said a local source.

Similar reports are pouring in from compartment numbers 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33. The forest officials are completely looking the other way as thousands of square foot of timber is being looted and sold in areas falling in the plains.