Forest team seizes 528 illegally stocked timber logs in Pilibhit

Pilibhit: An enforcement team of the Forest & Wildlife Division seized 528 logs of various tree species allegedly stocked without valid documents at five timber depots in Neuria town of Pilibhit district during raids led by divisional forest officer Bharat Kumar DK. The operation was conducted on Wednesday and continued till the evening.

The seizure included 107 Khair (Acacia catechu) logs weighing 128 quintals. According to the DFO, the Khair logs were recovered from the godown of one Mohammad Aris, while operators of the depots, including Aris, failed to produce documents relating to the procurement of the timber.

Khair is a high-value tree species used in the manufacture of catechu, which is commonly used in pan and pan masala. Forest officials estimated that the seized Khair logs could be worth more than Rs 10 lakh if processed.

The timber was confiscated and placed in the custody of local traders pending further proceedings. Separate departmental cases were registered against the depot operators under relevant provisions of the Indian Forest Act, the DFO said.

Taking cognisance of the seizure, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests P P Singh directed officials to arrest those involved, interrogate them and trace the source of the timber. "This is essential to effectively curb the illegal felling and trading of timber, particularly Khair," Singh said.

Meanwhile, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve DFO Manish Singh directed forest personnel to carry out combing operations in the Barahi and Mahof forest ranges to determine whether any Khair trees had been illegally felled from reserve forest areas.