Forest Protection Force personnel intensify patrolling in Rajouri forests

Rajouri, Dec 14: Equipped with arms and ammunition a year ago, the Forest Protection Force (FPF) personnel in Rajouri district have intensified patrolling in forest area. This is being done to combat different challenges of deforestation and encroachment in green gold areas.

FPF is a specialised wing of Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department that was created as an armed force with an aim to assist forest department in different aspects.

The forest protection force is spread across the Jammu and Kashmir like the forest department and has separate officers, setup, offices and sections.
In Rajouri forest division, Forest Protection Force (FPF) has intensified forest patrolling, surprise walks, checking points to deal with different kind of issues that are primarily becoming a reason for
damage to the green gold cover.

Presently, some personnel of FPF have been provided with .303 single load rifles while officers have been equipped with pistols.

The Village Defence Committees (VDCs) in Jammu and Kashmir are also equipped with .303 rifles which although are considered outdated due to slow firing rate as well as single load nature but are also
considered effective and lethal due to long range as well as high power of damage.

Assistant Director of FPF Rajouri division, Masood Choudhary said that FPF is an important wing of Forest Department as it provides support for implementation of various orders on field besides playing role of preventive nature. He aid that FPF personnel in Rajouri were provided with arms and ammunition almost one and half years ago after which weapon familiarisation and other steps were taken after
which the personnel are now dealing with all challenges.

He said that a number of steps as per SOPs have been taken by FPF in Rajouri to deal with challenges as well as for adequate preventive measures of forest protection.

"We are organising long range patrols (LRPs) as well as area domination patrols, surprise walks especially in vulnerable areas in terms of deforestation," Assistant Director of FPF in Rajouri added.

He said that illegal encroachment of forest areas by raising houses, other structures, construction of unpermitted roads is a main challenge followed by tree cutting that falls under deforestation. He, howeve,r said that timber smuggling is not a big challenge in areas of Rajouri.