Forest department flayed
according to a report of the comptroller and auditor general of India pertaining to the year 2000-2001, the forest department of Assam incurred a loss of Rs 15.14 crore in 72 cases. Revenue amounting to Rs 9.07 crore was lost due to damage of timber, Rs 1.6 crore for delay and irregularities in settlement of mahal quarry, etc, Rs 128.73 lakh on account of non-disposal and delay in disposal of timber, and Rs 3.95 crore due to illegal felling or removal of timber. The report revealed that test checks of the records of three divisional forest offices between April 2000 and November 2000 showed that 7986.28 cubic metres of timber valued at Rs 1.85 crore was removed by miscreants. The divisions concerned attributed this depletion to inadequate deployment of Forest Protection Force. The document also pointed out that the forest department suffered a loss amounting to Rs 40.93 lakh due to pilferage of timber under the divisional forest officer, Haltugaon.