With onset of monsoon, forest security beefed up in Uttarakhand

Rudrapur (Uttarakhand), July 22 (ANI): The Conservator for Forests in Uttarakhand has ordered for security to be tightened in the dense jungles to prevent the smuggling of valuable forest resources during the monsoons.

A special team has been deployed for this purpose.

For instance, in the Terai Central Range in Udhamsinghnagar District, braving the rains, a team, specially equipped with arms and gear, guards the forests at night to save valuable vegetation and resources.

To thwart miscreants, district forest officials have revised their strategies and devised novel modes to counter smuggling.

"Our entire team, along with armed personnel, conduct the night patrolling in the forest. We do this patrolling throughout the monsoon season. We also take special steps to thwart miscreants. For instance, we have placed sharp nails on the nearby roads and pathways, so any vehicle that tries to enter the forest would get stuck. The nails would immediately puncture the tyres, due to which no vehicle would be able to enter the forest," said Kapil, leader of a night patrolling team.

According to certain media reports, the thick jungles in Terai region have long been under threat of deforestation due to illegal felling of trees by smugglers apart from poachers harming the wildlife.

The torrential rains that arrive with the monsoon in the hilly terrain provide the perfect cover for smugglers from the Forest Rangers, during which they increase their activities significantly, say green activists.

On this score, Divisional Forest Officer of the Terai Range, Dr. Parag Dhakate, revealed that a special flying squad had also been deployed in the forests to plug the possible loopholes in security.

"All the areas that come under our supervision have eucalyptus and other valuable trees. We are protecting very valuable forest resources. Keeping this in mind, we increase our patrolling units in the forests during the monsoons and deploy two to three flying squads to check for any miscreants. We also try to prevent people and smugglers from entering the forests by blocking the nearby roads and pathways," said Dhakate, DFO, Terai Range.

Large-scale timber smuggling is fast depleting the reserves and playing havoc with the ecosystem.

Green activists have long advocated the cause of banning the movement of timber between states to discourage deforestation. (ANI)