GUJRAT, April 7: Officials of the provincial forest department have sought explanation from a district forest officer about complaints of timber theft, it is learnt on Friday.

The move has been initiated by the conservator in the wake of a news item which appeared on April 1.

According to the news, the timber mafia had illegally uprooted Alba Morass and other green trees worth over Rs2 million from the district forest department precinct. The mafia with the alleged connivance of District Forest Officer Moazzam Saeed had cut hundreds of trees from almost all the auctioned lots.

It is further alleged that the DFO had also tampered with the official record to conceal the theft. Denying the allegations, the forest officer said all the work (auction) was done on merit.

The auction of trees was held under the supervision of EDO (Agriculture) Shahid Rasheed Awan, who said he would look into the matter and take action if the theft was proved.

Conservator Syed Ajmal had sent the news item to a provincial official Muhammad Nawaz Sandhila instead of seeking comments from DFO Moazzam Saeed.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the provincial forest secretary is unaware of the incident.

ANNIVERSARY: The first death anniversary of the wife of prominent educationist Syed Shoaib Shah was held at his residence at Jogi Mohallah, Lalamusa, on Friday.