Port Blair: A fresh seizure of illegally sawn Padauk timber by the South Andaman Forest Division has once again brought into sharp focus the persistent menace of illegal timber smuggling in the Andaman Islands, underscoring the need for a sustained crackdown on organised forest offenders who continue to target the Union Territory’s rich and ecologically sensitive forests.
Acting on specific intelligence, a Forest Department team raided the Chota Patther Ghum area under the Mile Tilak Reserved Forest in the Jirkatang Forest Range on Tuesday and seized 18 pieces of illegally sawn Padauk timber measuring 0.545 cubic metres. Although the timber was recovered, those behind the illegal felling and transportation managed to escape before the team reached the spot.
The operation was carried out by the Mobile Squad Range team and a case has been registered against an unknown offender under the relevant provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The Forest Department said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those involved by analysing the leads collected from the crime scene.
The latest seizure has once again highlighted the continuing challenge posed by illegal sawn timber smuggling in the islands. Environmental observers have stressed that repeated recoveries of illegally felled timber point to the existence of organised operators exploiting forest resources and evading enforcement. They have called for intensified surveillance in vulnerable forest stretches, stronger intelligence gathering, frequent mobile squad operations and stringent action against those involved in the illicit timber trade.
Appealing for public support, the South Andaman Forest Division urged citizens to report any suspicious movement or illegal storage of forest and wildlife produce through the Forest Department helpline (03192-255228). The Department assured that the identity of informants would be kept strictly confidential.
