MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on Thursday suspended the operation of two tendernoticesissuedbytheforests department by restraining it from transporting raw wood from outside Neelum valley.

The interim order was given by Chief Justice Sadagat Hussain Raja while taking up a petition filed by Mumtaz Ahmed, a Neelum valley based civil society activist, through his counsel Zulgarnain Raza Naqvi.

The counsel informed the court that the forests department hadissued an advertisement on March 30 and a corrigendum on April 6 this year for auction of wood dumped at dif-ferent forest compartments in Neelum valley.

The move was in `sheer violation of the Forests Regulation Act, AJK Environmental Protection Act, PPRA Rules andthe fundamental rights guaranteed to the state subjects by the AJK Interim Constitutionjust to accommodate their favourites` while ignoring the requirements of the local population, the counsel alleged, fearing that it couldforce the local population to meet their timber needs illegally, notwithstanding its adverse impact to the natural wealth and subsequently to the environment.

The counsel claimed that his client hadrequested theofficialrespondentsto providetimber, stockpiled at different sitesinvalley, to local population at subsidized rates for use for construction and fuel purposes and stop transportation of raw woods outside the valley, but to no avail.

According to the counsel, the aggrieved residents of the valley,which the government had notified in August 2020 as `State Biosphere Reserve` to promote its sustainable development, protect and preserve its wildlife and natural resources, weredeeply concerned about the hazardous effects of deforestation ingeneral and `ruthless` felling of the famous Deodar trees in particular.

Due to the continuous deforestation and degradation of its forest resources, the valley was being hit by natural disasters, such as avalanches and cloud-bursts, every year resulting in heavy physical and material losses, he maintained, adding,the timber felling and its transportation in raw shape outside the valley had become a tool of smuggling which required to be dealt with iron hands.

In his prayers, he said the courtshoulddirecttherespondents to impose complete ban on timber felling, even the `dead, diseased and damaged` trees, to prevent damages to the young seedlings in logging operations.

He also sought a direction for the respondents to formulate a comprehensive forest policy, including a forest management plan in accordance with the national and international best practices, prepare remote sens-ing compatible forest map, and establish a GIS lab.

The court should direct the respondents to establish hubs/ depots at different points in the valley for issuance of wood to the local population on subsidized rates for housing needs, the counsel urged.

The chief justice observed that before admission of the petition for regular hearingnotices would be sent to the respondents for comments andfixed May 22 for further proceedings.

He, however, declared that the operation of the impugned tender notices and transportation of wood outside Neelam shall remain suspended, subject to the objections from the other side,till the next date of hearing.