Unrest of five months takes a heavy toll on forests in Valley

Five months of unrest and stone-pelting have caused immense environmental loss to the Kashmir valley.

Thousands of trees in dense jungles have been felled by timber smugglers who allegedly instigated stone-throwing to divert the attention of security forces for hassle-free operation.

“Jungles were mercilessly cut during the five months of unrest. Police have arrested several timber smugglers for fuelling stone-pelting,” Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) chief minister Omar Abdullah said.

SM Sahai, inspector general of police (Kashmir range), said timber and narcotics smugglers instigated stone-throwing to keep the pot boiling in the Valley. “They wanted to keep the authorities busy in maintaining law and order, so that smuggling could go on uninterrupted,” he said.

On October 31, notorious timber smuggler Nazir Ahmad Lone alias Nazir Konda of Shopian was arrested. He was allegedly instigating stone-pelting so that he could fell the green gold in jungles.

“Konda used to pay some of his associates to pelt stones on police, creating pandemonium and diverting their attention to restoration of law and order,” Shafqat Watali, DIG (south Kashmir range), said.

Omar said all out efforts were needed for afforestation and maintenance of ecology and natural beauty of the state. “We have to rejuvenate our green wealth and retrieve degraded forests to safeguard future,” he said.

Omar said the erratic changes in climate witnessed in recent years were due to the heavy damage inflicted on forests in the state.
“We have to girdle loins to launch an afforestation programme with enthusiasm and realise it successfully as a mission,” he said.

J&K minister for forests and environment Mian Altaf Ahmad said 15,000 saplings of conifer, kail and deodar would be planted in degraded forests spread over 32 hectares. “Measures are afoot to safeguard the green wealth and rejuvenate depleted forests,” he said.