NEELUM VALLEY (Kashmir Digital): Illegal deforestation in Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) continues unchecked as chainsaw mafias exploit the region, prompting authorities to issue strict warnings while locals demand stronger enforcement.
The numbers of illegal loggers are growing in Neelum Valley where chainsaw mafias continue their operations despite official restrictions. Reported information indicates forest staff in the region ignore the activities through an “Eidi campaign” that grants them permission to cut trees illegally.
The government officials have declared their intention to take action against unlawful timber extraction.
All three divisions of Neelum Circle received strict orders from Asad Hamdani who serves as Chief Conservator of Forests to put an end to illegal deforestation. Any department official discovered allowing illegal tree cutting will receive severe consequences according to his promise.
Local communities can now access essential wood through the Timber Disposal (TD) Quota distribution program, which runs under proper regulatory control.
The natural beauty of Neelum Valley faces a severe environmental crisis because of rampant deforestation. Enforced tree removal practices in the region harm its ecosystem structure and create dangerous land instability and severe ground erosion and climate change consequences.
Security regulations that ban illegal logging exist yet powerful mafia groups operating in the timber industry continue their illegal activities because they receive backing from government officials who are involved in corruption. The people living there worry about the imminent imbalance of the valley’s environment and the disappearance of its spectacular natural appearance because no corrective steps have been implemented yet.
Field implementation of official directives to stop illegal logging presents challenges to enforcement teams according to established authorities. Activists together with environmentalists demand stronger law enforcement and improved penalties with active community participation to safeguard the forests of Neelum Valley.
Recent residents demand that the government imposes stern measures against chainsaw mafias and deforestation-patronizing officials. People argue that forest preservation in Neelum Valley requires both proper oversight systems which promote both transparency and strict legal accountability.
