Punjab Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot has sought report from State Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in seven days in illegal felling of ‘khair’ trees and plundering of khair wood.
The Minister, taking strong note of the reports regarding illegal felling of ‘khair’ trees and plundering of khair wood by the “mafia” in the forest area of Paharpur and Samlah in Rupnagar district bordering Himachal Pradesh, has sought a comprehensive report from the PCCF Jatinder Sharma in seven days.
Dharamsot said that the PCCF has also been directed to personally probe the incident of illegal felling of trees from this part of the region. He categorically said that any person or any official found involved directly or indirectly in assisting the wrongdoers would not be spared at any cost. Dharamsot, while issuing instructions for increasing the day and night patrols in the forest areas, said that the onus of stopping the illegal felling rests on the forest officers of concerned areas who should evolve all steps necessary in their respective domains to curb the menace.
The Minister further elaborated that the government under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh is committed to wipe out every mafia from the state.