Book timber smugglers under DMA: Darakhshan

Chairperson, Union Waqf Development Committee, Darakhshan Andrabi on Thursday appealed to J&K administration to take stern measures to stop “loot” of forest wealth in the Union territory.

“We lost our green wealth in early 90s when in an organised manner some people managed plundered our forests without any fear of deterrence, resulting in great loss to our forests,” said Darakhshan, who is also BJP spokesperson. “Now again, availing the advantage of corona crisis, looters have got re-activated throughout Jammu and Kashmir and they are cutting trees and smuggling them around without any fear of action against them.”

She said during the past one month many such cases surfaced throughout J&K where some honest forest officers and guards tried to stop these smugglers but they were beaten to the pulp.

“Forest protection mechanism is too weak in J&K. Forestry staff is not equipped with suitable safety tools and operational systems while as smugglers are well organised and well equipped. In the present tough times, our police forces are busy in management of lockdowns and restrictions and forest staff doesn’t get needed protection to operate against the looters,” she said.