BHUBANESWAR: Timber mafias and poachers were out to plunder forest resources in absence of surveillance teams in the aftermath of naxal attack on government establishments in famous Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in Mayurbhanj district.
SHILLONG: The Congress-led KHADC Executive Committee (EC) has set up an independent inquiry committee (IAC), headed by the Council Court Additional Judge S Kharsyiemlieh, to investigate the reported involvement of its senior employees in smuggling of timber from the forest areas under the jurisdiction of the Council.
KOCHI: After ivory, ganja and sandalwood, the smugglers are now madly after King Cobra and other venomous snakes in the forests as 10 ml venom of a King Cobra would fetch crores of rupees in the international black market.
The smuggling of snake venom had come to light after the recent seizure of 200 ml of King Cobra venom at Kanjikode, near Palakkad.
The Wildlife Conservation Department says that the elephant which received gunshot injuries when illicit timber fellers shot at the animal which was trying to obstruct the miscreants in a very strange manner had died.
When certain parts of the State are reeling under floods, some other areas are cashing in on the rising waters by conducting guided tours for local tourists as well as for backpackers from outside the State.
Taking the matter of growing pressure on forest resource seriously priority on scientific management in letter and spirit should be given and sustainable use of forest products without affecting forest health is the need of the hour.
The Forest Act 1927 is being revised because of the realisation that it has become redundant, and is actually helpful in timber theft and deforestation.
KOKRAJHAR, June 21: The Department of Forest on Saturday morning seized a good quantity of smuggled valuable timbers from the house of one Sahidul Hoque, at Hasraobari under Dhaligaon PS in Chirang district.
Three problems have made the world's largest mangrove forest the Sundrbans have become unprotected.
The problems are necessary manpower to guard the home of world famous Royal Bengal tiger, maximum number of water vessels of the forest are not in shape and dearth of fuel has put the officers and employees into trouble.
