Wood theft: Forest Department caught hoarding wood worth Rs20m

MULTAN: The Anti Corruption Department has raided seven locations and recovered wood worth more than Rs20,000,000 being hoarded by the Forest Department.

On the application of a citizen, Muhammad Ramzan, anti-corruption officials examined the records of land assigned by the Punjab government for agriculture graduates from several universities. The government had allocated 25 acres of land for cultivation for these students but the Forest Department planned to sell wood from the lands.

On checking Forest Department records, officials found that books have been tampered with and only 1,600 trees have been listed rather than the actual figure of 5,400.

Anti-Corruption Department District Inspector, Naeem Rehman, has lodged corruption cases against the entire staff of the Forest Department including district forest officer and range officer Qaisar Abbas and block officer Mumtaz Tanveer.

The Anti-Corruption Department has initiated inquiries against Forest Departments in all of southern Punjab districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2011.