RAHIM YAR KHAN, April 9: Influential people are allegedly stealing timber from the forests of Rahim Yar Khan, Dawn has learnt. In 1971, the government settled many tribesmen in southern Liaqatpur to cultivate barren land. The government also involved the settlers in a 50-kilometre long and two-kilometre wide forest from Channi Goth in Ahmedpur East to Feroza, a town of Liaqatpur.

Plants of Dalbergia Sissoo (Shisham), Acacia Arabica (Kikar), Eucalyptus, Salmalia Malabaricum, Morus Alba (Toot), Zizyplus Jujuba (Bairi) and Palm were grown between Abbasia and Abbasia Link canals.

The Forest Department divided the wooded area in six portions and established offices in Bhul Chak, Char Wala Bungalow, Kalar Wala Bungalow, Sanghar Wala, Bakhu Wala and Qasim Wala.

In 1995, the timber mafia started felling trees at the lower level. In 2001, when the department started auction of timber, the mafia started stealing woods in an organised way. The contractors allegedly felled trees three times more than the allotted ones.

From 2001 to 2006, 128 auctions were held and every time the mafia with the help of forest officials stole timber.

According to Forest Department’s record, wood worth Rs915,686 was sold in 2001, Rs5.6 million in 2002, Rs6.8 million in 2003, Rs6.88 million in 2004, Rs9.2 million in 2005 and Rs3.03 million in 2006.

A resident from Sanghar Wala told Dawn that up to 20,000kg timber was being stolen from the area every day.

A retired block officer on conditions of anonymity said at the lower level, wood was being stolen in every part of the forest but planned wood theft was done by the contactors. The former official said a trader in Liaqatpur would buy the stolen wood and as he had good terms with the influential figures of the area, police or any other department had not initiated any action against him. He alleged the district forest officer was also involved in wood theft as the crime could not be committed without his nod.

The retired block officer added that transfers and postings of forest employees were done on the orders of political figures. He said that a sub-divisional officer and his relative block officer had been serving in the district for a long time and had never been transferred to other place.

He said besides wood theft, dry leaves were auctioned for Rs60,000 for a period of year and the contractors collected 50 trolleys of dry leaves from the forest everyday and a trolley-load of leaves was worth Rs1,000 to 2,000.

Two trolley drivers from Chak 143 told Dawn that a forest official had offered them 40 trolleys of dry leaves if they “gifted” him a new motorcycle.

Liaqatpur Forest Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Mr Abid said that a guard and a block officer were allowed to take a head-load of wood and an SDO a donkey-load for their personal use but the people thought that the officials were stealing wood. He admitted that wood had been stolen during the cutting of auctioned trees. About the allegation levelled by the retired block officer, he said he would probe into the allegations. He admitted that wood was being stolen from Sanghar Wala, claiming some thieves had been arrested and cases initiated against them. He said dry leaves were the main cause of jungle fires, so two years ago the department had allowed local residents to take dry leaves free of cost. When kiln owners started collecting dry leaves for commercial uses, the department started auctioning dry leaves.