BHADERWAH: Over 50 sleepers included logs , windows , doors along with sawing 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 here today . A team of Forest personnel led by CF Chenab Circle Tejbhadur Singh seized the logs worth over lakhs of rupees along with machinery , planners and dozens of windows , doors from Sungli village of Bhaderwah in the compartment 44 and 45 . The owner of the wood sale depot was identified to be one Sajad Wani of Sungli ,Bhaderwah . CF Chenab circle T B Singh said that planner in the saw mills 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 that 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 indicated a pattern in the illegal trade and said timber is sold in black market . “This is an organised crime but we are trying to fight it out,” added Singh .The seized logs were illegally felled from areas in and around the Bhaderwah forests , the CF T B Singh added and said he had constituted a special team to keep a watch against illegal wood felling and saw mills in Bhaderwah area . “The raids are conducted following a tip off however all raids do not lead to desired result,” said Singh adding “sometimes the tip-off is used to divert focus to aid the smugglers.” Significantly, the forest department has decided to bolster its network and strength to bring the illegal trade further down. “In the State CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) meeting we will propose a slew of measures to increase our strength,” added Singh .The CF also sought the explanation of the Range Officer, Neeru , forester of the same compartment and Guards into the matter. The team which conducted today’s operation included Deputy Director PFF Mohinder Singh , forester Shafeqt Baba Malik , Haroon Khan , In charge PFP Bhaderwah Waseem Thokar and others . It is notable to mention here that according to sources from the last some months illegal trade of sleepers and machinery were going on in Bhaderwah but DFO was unaware with this and this become the main reason that CF himself raided the area and seized the sleepers , logs , machinery and other wooden things .
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