Unholy nexus
In an alarming revelation, Jharkhand forest minister Yamuna Singh confessed that timber worth Rs 200 crore was smuggled in the past 10 years from the forests of Saranda in Singhbhum district. The forests are spread over 820 square kilometres and are extremely rich in flora and fauna.
The minister admitted to the laxity shown by forest officials deployed in the area. He also did not rule out the possibility of poachers conniving with the forest authorities.
Now, Singh has decided to embark on a satellite survey to assess the current status of the forests. Cracking the whip on forest officials, he has asked them to prepare a detailed report on the revenue earned by the department in the past decade. More than 16 hectares of forest have disappeared in Saranda during this period. The decaying forestland has also taken its toll on indigenous people.
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