Kashmir News Service
SRINAGAR
A massive fire broke out in the forest range of Kupwara district on Saturday leaving dozens of trees destroyed.
Fire engulfed compartment number 31 of Keegam, during which dozens of trees got destroyed. “The fire later spread to compartment number 19 and 20 of Sogam,” witnesses said.
Meanwhile, DFO Kamraz, Muhammad Ayoub said that the teams have been deputed to the compartment while the efforts are on to douse the fire.
Meanwhile, the illegal timber smuggling goes unabated in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district while the authorities are acting as “mute spectators” with taking no action against them.
Sources said that in Shalgund Sumbal area of the district, the illegal timber smuggling goes unabated.
They said that at least 100 quintals of timber has been smuggled by the locals during the current uprising in the Valley. “The officials of the corporation are also hand-in-glove with the locals and are taking no actions against them,” they informed.
“Despite tall claims of the government to take strict action against the forest encroachers and timber smugglers, the authorities doesn’t pay any heed to the on-going timber smuggling in the area,” they said.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sumbal, Ghulam Mohi-ud-din said that “everything was alright” in the area when he visited there two days before.
However, he added, “I will look into the matter and if anything would have been happened there then strict action would be taken against the person found guilty.”
