Uttarakhand introduces retail timber sale system for residents via 5 depots

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation has introduced a system to facilitate the purchase of timber for domestic use by local residents through its five retail depots in Dehradun, Kotdwar, Ramnagar, Haldwani and Tanakpur. To ensure equitable distribution, the corporation has capped the quantity of timber that can be purchased, officials said.UKFDC authorities said that a family can procure up to 5 cubic metres of timber for house construction and a maximum of 2 cubic metres for furniture and other purposes. “Up to 5 cubic metres of timber will be provided for house construction, while a maximum of 2 cubic metres will be available for furniture and other purposes per family,” said Neena Grewal, principal chief conservator of forests and managing director, UKFDC.According to officials, no auction or bidding process is involved and citizens can visit the retail depots to inspect available timber and select logs as per their requirements. Prices will vary depending on the type, size and quality of timber. To prevent misuse and ensure transparency, buyers will have to provide identity proof such as Aadhaar or PAN card. For house construction, submission of a building plan is mandatory to procure timber from the corporation’s depots.“The process eliminates the role of middlemen and protects citizens from unfair pricing practices, while ensuring the quality of timber,” Grewal added.To further facilitate commercial-scale timber sales, the corporation recently launched the ‘HimKaashth’ app as part of its silver jubilee celebrations. The app offers a digital trading platform for timber merchants, allowing users to register, view detailed lot listings, including timber species, quality grades and reserve prices, and participate in real-time bidding.The forest corporation operates under the forest department and undertakes scientific extraction of dead, decaying or dying trees from reserved forests, subject to necessary approvals, officials said.