MANSEHRA, Nov 17: The timber mafia here has managed to convince officials of the forest department to levy a nominal fine of Rs300 per cubic feet (cft) on the nearly 3 million cft timber illegally exploited from the forests of Kohistan district to transport it to the markets of Sindh and Punjab, sources told Dawn on Monday.

The sources said that keeping in view the market value of the timber in Sindh and Punjab, which stands at Rs1,800 per cft, the government could itself purchase and transport the timber to earn billions of rupees. Whereas by levying a fine of Rs300 per cft would make the government earn a meagre amount.

The sources said that the maximum rate of the timber in the Kohistan district was only Rs300 per cft and the contractors were ready to pay a fine of Rs300 per cft on the timber to earn a major chunk from the underhand deal with some officials of the governing circles.

The sources claimed that the timber exploited from the forest of Harban, Kandya, Bhasha, Jalkot and Jalkhad valleys of Kohistan district was not less than 3 million cft and was lying at various points.

The sources said that if the fine of only Rs300 per cft was imposed the timber smugglers of the area would be further encouraged to plunder the forests in Kohistan district.