Body casts aspersion on forest Dept
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 22 2012:
Absence of positive response from Forest Department authorities on a Court directive for auctioning confiscated Red Sanderwood has led to the Manipur Hill Area Bamboo Entrepreneurs' Association to speculate that the seized costly forest produce may have been misappropriated.
Speaking to news-persons at Manipur Press Club this afternoon, Association chairman HK vaiphei said two truck loads of Red Sanderwood, found abundantly only in Arunachal Pradesh and used for decorative furniture items, were seized by troops of 42 Assam Rifles on April 4, 2011 at Kangoi Khullen area of Chandel district.
The said forest produce totalling about 3630 kilograms was spotted by the AR troops while it was being illegally brought into Manipur by some individuals in two Shaktiman trucks bearing registration numbers MN04/A0208 and MN04/A4609, recounted Vaiphei.
The seized item worth about Rs 2500 per kilogram was subsequently handed over to Tengnoupal Divisional Forest Officer by the AR authorities.
With the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chandel issuing an order on April 6, 2011 that the seized items be auctioned off in the interest of State craftspersons involved in bamboo and furniture industries the same decree was also conveyed to the Divisional Forest Officer, Tengnoupal.
With the DFO not complying with the Court directive, the Association formally filed complaints to the Forest and Environment Minister on May 5 and October 19, 2011, with another complaint lodged with the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest.
As there is no positive response despite repeated intimations it is feared that whereabouts of the confiscated Red Sanderwood estimated to be worth about Rs 90 lakhs in the market is being deliberately kept under wraps for reasons best known to the forest Department authorities, opined the chairman.
He also appealed that in the interest of individuals involved in small time bamboo and furniture trades higher authorities produce a white paper on where the said forest produce is being stored, if any, or why the Court decree had to be defied.