Srinagar, Oct 5 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir government today decided to launch a drive to check smuggling of timber.
The Forest Department and Forest Protection Force would jointly launch a drive against timber smuggling menace in Shopian forest division, Forest minister Mian Altaf Ahmad said at a meeting here.
According to local media reports, there has been an increase in timber smuggling during the prevailing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ahmad also directed the authorities concerned to coordinate with each other and said "serious action would be taken against officers found lacking the effort" to check smuggling.
On steps taken by Shopian Forest division, DFO Himayu Kasir Qadri said 49 people involved in timber smuggling have been arrested between July and September.
About 1,444 cubic ft of timber, 86 horses and six vehicles were seized, besides 10 hectares of forest land has been evicted during the period, he added.
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