Despite SC ban, 123 saw mills operating within prohibited area
*Funds meant for forest protection used to purchase ACs

JAMMU: In what could be termed as insensitivity towards the green gold wealth, only one per cent of forest land has been demarcated in Jammu district by the Forest Department thereby leaving 99 per cent area prone to encroachment by the land grabbers. Moreover, 123 saw mills are operating within the prohibited area in contravention of the ban imposed by the Supreme Court and incident of illicit felling and consequently the outstanding damages cases have been increasing year after year due to the slackness of the Forest Department officers.