JK govt asks Forest Dept to prevent man-animal conflict

There have been increased incidents of man-animal conflict resulting in dozens of deaths over the last few years.

The Himalayan black bear and leopards stroll into human habitats in search of food,leading to frequent confrontations between humans and wild animals.

Asking the officers to “act tough” against the people involved in timber smuggling,Khan said,”Implement the directions of the government for checking the smuggling in letter and spirit and show result on the ground.”

Meanwhile,the Forest Department has earned Rs 18 crore by distributing 8.13 lakh cubic feet timber to consumers in Kashmir division during the current financial year,an official spokesman said.

The department has also provided 1.25 lakh quintals of fire wood to various mosques in the Valley during the winter,besides providing 42,000 cubic feet of timber to the Education Department for construction of school buildings,the spokesman said.

An amount of Rs 1.90 crore is being utilised on soil conservation and erosion works during the current fiscal,he added.