Jamshedpur: Timber smugglers render 20 acres of Dalma forest barren

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, March 5: Timber smugglers have exploited and destroyed greenery across 20 acres of land in the Ramgarh forests of Dalma hills under Chandil block. The shocking finding came to light in the inspection visit of divisional forest officer Aditya Narayan of Seraikela-Kharsawan.

Narayan visited Ramgarh forest and inspected the deforested land. He said it was unfortunate that the smugglers had cut down trees in large numbers and damaged the forest.

Sources said hundreds of valuable trees were cut down within just a week or so and the timber was smuggled out of the region through the national highway. The timber is suspected to have been transported to West Bengal through Chandil and Bodam police station areas, they claimed.

Sources said the involvement of forest officers and staff could not be ruled out. A departmental inquiry has started to punish the guilty, sources said.

The forest officer said raids would be conducted to ensure maximum recovery of smuggled timber. He said the smugglers and their associates would be arrested soon at any cost.