State Forest Corporation official hijacks timber laden truck, probe ordered
The District Development Commissioner of Bandipora, in North Kashmir has constituted a committee to probe the allegations levelled against a top State Forest Corporation official, who allegedly hijacked a timber laden truck. His motive was to use the timber for the construction of his house.
Reliable sources said that Divisional Manager of State Forest Corporation, Ganderbal Altaf Ahmed Qureshi, loaded the timber in two trucks at forest depot Nasu Bandipora. The timber was supposed to be unloaded at different points for selling purpose. However, Divisional Manager hijacked one of the trucks and unloaded the timber at Hakbara Hajan for his personal use.
As the top officials of the Corporation received this information, the accused official misled them by claiming that he unloaded the timber at Pehlipora Safapora Panchayat Ghar. However, reports suggest that former Sarpanch Safapora informed the Corporation that no timber was unloaded at the Panchayat Ghar that day, when the truck was hijacked.
“The Corporation is running into losses due to misdeeds of officials like him. The Corporation needs to probe the matter and initiate strict action against the incumbent accused – the Divisional Manager Ganderbal,” said an official wishing anonymity.
He said that timber is not available in abundance at Forest depots because of such malpractices.
Confirming that a committee has been constituted to probe the matter, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Sajad Ahmed, said that the Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Masrat Hashim, will head the committee and he has been asked to submit the report within a week’s time. The other members of the committee are Divisional Forest officer Bandipora and Forest Range officer Kohima.
KV Correspondent
