Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), April 13: The South Andaman Forest Division seized 1.77 cubic meters of illegal padauk timber during an enforcement operation conducted within its jurisdiction, with officials initiating further investigation to identify those involved.
The timber was recovered from an unmanned location where it had been stored without valid documentation, in violation of provisions under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Officials said the seizure followed specific inputs received from a reliable source.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of Assistant Conservator of Forests (HQ) R.S. Sharath. The recovered timber has since been taken into custody and handed over to the Range Officer, Tushnabad, for further legal proceedings.
Authorities stated that the case is under investigation and efforts are underway to trace individuals responsible for the illegal extraction and storage of the forest produce. Legal action will be initiated in accordance with the law against those found involved in the offence.
Padauk, a valuable timber species found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has been a target of illegal trade, prompting regular monitoring and enforcement actions by forest authorities.
The operation was executed by a team led by Forester Mohd Ismail, with support from Forest Guards Mujibur Rehman and Veeraswamy. The team also included regular mazdoors Ganesh Sahu, Samuel, Peter Alexander and Anutosh Bairagi, who assisted in the field operation.
Officials reiterated that illegal extraction and storage of forest produce remains a violation of existing laws and stressed the importance of vigilance in protecting forest resources. They noted that such enforcement measures are part of ongoing efforts to address unauthorised activities involving valuable timber species.
The South Andaman Forest Division has also issued an appeal to the public to report any suspicious activities related to illegal forest or wildlife produce. A helpline number, 03192-255228, has been provided for information sharing, with assurance that the identity of informants will be kept confidential.
Authorities indicated that continued public cooperation will play a role in identifying and preventing such violations in forest areas.
