Forest department increases patrolling as LPG shortage raises firewood trespassing, three cases over three days

Kolhapur: The forest department has intensified vigilance across district amid fears of rising trespassing and tree-cutting for firewood due to the ongoing LPG shortage, taking three actions over the past three days.In Gadhinglaj, two separate operations were conducted on Sunday after receiving information about vehicles transporting timber unlawfully on the Gadhinglaj-Nesari road. The team seized a tractor-trolley and timber worth over Rs 12.3 lakh.Sachin Sawant, Range Forest Officer for Gadhinglaj, said, "In the first case, a tractor was intercepted at Hunginal village, and 2.7 cubic metres of illegally transported timber was found. A case has been registered against Imran Bashir Sambhogkar (36) of Gadhinglaj. In the second case, a tractor was found carrying 3 cubic metres of non-prohibited building timber without valid documents. A case was registered against Sushant Sadanand Desai (29) of Talewadi."In a similar action in the Karvir forest range, forest officials stopped a tractor-trolley transporting timber on the Shirol-Nrusinhawadi road based on a tip‑off. Driver Vijay Vasant Korvi of Shirol failed to produce a transport licence, following which a case was registered under Section 41(2) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The tractor-trolley and timber were seized on Saturday.Dhairyasheel Patil, deputy conservator of forests, Kolhapur, said, "People should refrain from engaging in such activities and immediately inform the department if they come across any forest crime."On March 11, the Satara forest department's vigilance team conducted four separate actions against illegal transport of teak and raiwal wood. Timber worth Rs 25.3 lakh was seized, and offences under Section 41(2)(b) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, were registered against three suspects.