Government should take strict action against illegal cutting of green trees: Shauri

On the second day of the monsoon session of the Assembly, MLA Surendra Shauri from the Banjar Assembly constituency addressed the issue of illegal logging of green trees under the guise of Salvez lots in Banjar’s Saraj Forest Mandal. He criticized the government for remaining silent on the matter, highlighting that contractors have been exploiting Salvez lot allocations to illegally cut green trees.

MLA Shauri pointed out that Salvez lots have been allocated for decades, but contractors have been unfairly cutting green trees under this pretext, with numerous cases reported across the state. He emphasized that over a hundred forest areas have been allocated by the Forest Department, where wood is being burned, and called for regular monitoring of these forests.

He proposed involving local panchayats, forest committees, and youth groups in the allocation and monitoring of Salvez lots. He also suggested that a new policy should be developed for the welfare of local communities, incorporating modern technologies like geo-tagging and drone surveillance to ensure transparency. MLA Shauri urged the state government to introduce a new policy for Salvez lot allocation soon.