Rajwar residents allege corruption in timber notice issuance

Handwara, Sep 08: Locals of Rajwar area in north Kashmir’s Handwara have raised serious concerns over alleged large-scale corruption in the issuance of Kashmiri forest notices for timber.

Locals alleged that forest officials of Rajwar Range have been illegally collecting huge amounts of cash from grantees, far exceeding the prescribed fee. They claimed that officers were receiving money directly and remitting only a fraction into the government treasury before issuing Form-06 and allowing timber extraction.

Sources said that in the recent past, senior forest officers had carried out a verification of the process. However, no action was taken against the alleged defaulters, giving rise to accusations that officials at multiple levels were working hand in glove.

The Deputy Director of Forest Protection Force (FPF) Handwara said the verification exercise has been completed and the report has been submitted to the Conservator North Circle Sopore.

When the matter was brought to the notice of Irfan Rasool Wani IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Kashmir, he assured that stern action would be initiated against any official found involved in the malpractice.

Locals have appealed to the Forest Minister and Commissioner Secretary of the Forest Department to personally intervene and dismantle what they described as a nexus within the Rajwar Range of Langate Forest Division. They demanded immediate punitive action against the officials responsible. [KNT]