‘Illegal’ khair wood depot found in Garhshankar, locals demand action

An illegal khair (kattha) wood depot has been discovered in the forests of the Beet area, near the Himachal Pradesh border.

The depot allegedly contained a significant quantity of khair wood and bark scattered across the site.

Sources said the scale of this illegal operation was staggering and several quintals of khair wood were stored at the location as of four days ago.

They revealed that the timber mafia purchases stolen khair wood for Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per quintal from individuals who illegally cut trees in nearby farmland and forests.

The mafia then sells the wood for Rs 14,000 to Rs 15,000 per quintal, making profits in crores of rupees annually.

According to Ajaib Singh Boparai, general secretary of Jatt Mahasabha Punjab, the operations at the wood depot, which was running unchecked, could not be conducted without the connivance of forest officials, and a high-level investigation was required into the matter.

Recently, a video and several photographs showing the depot in the Beet area went viral on social media. One can see piles of khair wood, stripped bark and a digital weighing scale at the site in the visuals.

The photos also showed wood-loading ladders, a makeshift stove and even a cot, all suggesting that the depot was being used for large-scale illegal operations.

According to the sources, at such depots, the timber mafia chops down khair trees, strips the bark, and prepares the wood for sale at inflated prices.

Mini-trucks are used to transport several quintals of khair wood, under the cover of darkness, to factories where the wood is sold for premium prices.

Boparai said, “It is clear that the timber mafia is backed by some corrupt officials. They are cutting trees indiscriminately, wreaking havoc on the environment, and reaping huge profits from this illegal trade. This is an ongoing problem, and the authorities are not taking it seriously.”

Former Sarpanch Kulbhushan Kumar also expressed his concerns, stating, “A massive illegal operation like this cannot run without the involvement of forest officials. If the authorities continue to look the other way, villagers will be forced to take matters into their own hands. The forests of the Beet region have already been devastated, and if this continues, there will be no forests left for future generations.”

Responding to these claims, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Harbhajan Singh said, “No such depot has been found in the Beenewal forest area. When the matter was brought to our attention by Ajaib Singh, we visited the location, but there was no evidence of illegal activity, such as wood or bark being stockpiled or freshly cut trees.”

“Regarding the video and photographs circulating on social media, it is difficult to confirm whether they are from our area. We are conducting a thorough investigation and will take strict action if any illegal depot is discovered. Unauthorised cutting of khair trees is strictly prohibited, and so far, no such case has been reported recently,” he added.

Despite the DFO’s comments, locals in the Beet area are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of action from the authorities. They have urged the Forest Department to immediately shut down such illegal depots and take strong action against the perpetrators.

The residents have said that the forests would soon vanish, causing irreparable damage to the environment and wildlife in the region in the authorities don’t stop these activities.

They further alleged that the illegal khair wood trade in the Beet area was a blatant violation of the forest laws, and the apparent involvement of corrupt officials raised serious questions about the role of the Forest Department.

The alleged lack of concrete action by the authorities despite the purported evidence seen in videos and photographs, has fuelled frustration among local communities.

Boparai said, “The illegal trade of khair wood in Beet’s forests poses a direct threat to the environment. While the authorities remain in denial, local communities and environmentalists are becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of accountability and the delayed response.”

“If the authorities continue to ignore the problem, people will be forced to take matters into their own hands and protest on the streets. I urge the National Green Tribunal to take immediate cognisance of this issue and take action against the violators,” he said.

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