Pir Azhar U Din
Residents allege sanctioned cases are being kept on hold while timber is transported outside Kupwara; seek intervention from LG Administration and DC Kupwara_
Kupwara: The Forest Development Corporation (FDC) in Kupwara has come under scrutiny following allegations that timber is not being provided to eligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries despite sanctioned cases, while large quantities of timber are being extracted from the district and transported towards Sopore, Srinagar and other areas.
A number of BPL beneficiaries , stated that copies of their timber sanctions are being kept on hold and that they are being compelled to purchase timber from the open market despite their economic condition.
The beneficiaries further alleged that they are being told that there are clear directions from higher authorities not to issue timber to BPL beneficiaries. However, residents claim that their inquiries have not revealed any formal government order prohibiting the issuance of timber to beneficiaries under the BPL category.
The allegations have raised questions among residents over the allocation and transportation of timber from Kupwara. Locals have questioned why timber extracted from the district is being transported outside while poor and eligible residents of the same district allegedly struggle to obtain timber for their requirements.
Residents have also raised concerns over the system of timber sale following the reported transfer of the responsibility from the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department to the erstwhile State Forest Corporation (SFC), now the Forest Development Corporation (FDC), around 2016.
According to residents, timber sale was earlier handled by the Forest Department and beneficiaries could obtain timber without facing the difficulties they allege have emerged subsequently. They have also referred to information obtained through RTI, claiming that BPL beneficiaries have faced difficulties in obtaining timber and, in several cases, have been told that only fir timber would be provided.
The issue is particularly sensitive in Kupwara, a border district where many families have limited financial resources and cannot afford timber at open-market prices. AAY beneficiaries, residents alleged, are also facing difficulties while processing their cases and are being forced to make repeated rounds of offices.
Residents have alleged that only certain “blue-eyed” individuals are being accommodated, while genuine beneficiaries are allegedly left waiting. These allegations, however, require verification by the concerned authorities.
Residents of Kupwara have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor’s Administration, the Jammu and Kashmir Government and Deputy Commissioner Kupwara to intervene and order a transparent inquiry into the matter.
They have demanded that the administration verify the status of pending BPL and AAY timber cases, clarify whether any official order exists restricting timber supply to BPL beneficiaries, and examine the movement and allocation of timber extracted from Kupwara.
“If timber is being extracted from Kupwara, why should the poor people of Kupwara be deprived of it?” residents asked, urging the authorities to ensure that eligible local beneficiaries receive timber as per the applicable rules.( News Agency )
