Locals living adjacent to forest areas alleged that smugglers are cutting trees in the district posing severe threat to ecological balance and environment.
The residents said that the cutting of trees has been going since a long time that too in broad day light.
“The infamous smugglers are involved in these practices who give a damn to the law. They sell wood in black market. They have made it a business. The role of forest department cannot be ruled out. We have been seeing the chopping of trees since long. Those looting forests have no fear of authorities,” they told KNT.
They said that these smugglers are looting forest cover of district Baramulla which includes Kamran division, Range Kandi Rampore, Rajpora and Cherhar, compartments 25, 28, 31, 36, and 38.
Smugglers started looting compartments 25 and 28 from top side.
