‘Consignment legal, worth not more than Rs.6 crore’
Dimapur, July 25 (MExN): The Department of Forest, Nagaland, has refuted claims that the timber seized at Guwahati rail station on July 24 is ‘illegal’ and of ‘foreign origin.’ The department clarified today that the timber is of legal origin duly approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forest. A press release issued by the Conservator of Forest (STC), K Hocto Sema, stated that the timber has been detained by the custom’s department on the apprehension that they are mixed with ‘contraband goods.’
However, the physical sample verification of the consignment proved that there was no contraband substance in the wagons. The note added that the sealed wagons were tampered with by the officials of the custom department without official intimation to the Nagaland forest department.
The department pointed out that a letter was written to the Railway and Custom authorities in Guwahati by the special investigation team (SIT) ‘to allow the wagons loaded with timber to proceed to its destination Delhi.’ The letter also stated that any apprehensions about the legality of the origin of the timber may be physically verified at the destination in the presence of the consignor, the Nagaland forest department and customs officials. Despite the SIT’s guidelines, the wagons were unsealed by the custom officials.
Sema told The Morung Express that as per SIT norms ‘no wagon can be unsealed until it reaches its destination and what the custom officials have done is a breach of the SC’s order.’
He said that the seizure was made on July 8 first and the department was informed of the same by the customs department, following which, the department sent a forest official with valid documents to Guwahati for verification. Despite producing the documents, the customs went ahead and unsealed one wagon. The department has also rubbished claims by the customs that the timber is of ‘foreign origin.’ The timber is reportedly all local and sourced within the state. The timber is also reportedly worth not more than Rs. 6 crore (Delhi rate).
According to the forest department, the wagons which moved from Dimapur on July 7, contains 14 wagons of local Teak worth Rs. 2,94,8400 (approx), 7 wagons of moulded timber worth Rs. 1,12,00000 (approx), 21 wagons of hardwood including Hollok, Titachap, Bonsum and pine worth Rs. 29,484000 (approx). The department said that the entire consignment cannot be worth more than Rs.6 crore in the Delhi market.
The forest department said that timber operation is not illegal and that felling of timber from approved working schemes and tree plantation from non-forest are permitted through guidelines issued by the Ministry and a SC order issued in 2001.
