PESHAWAR, Sept 30: Forests of Swat are nowadays at the mercy of militants who have fixed their share with the timber mafia and given them a free hand to cut trees wherever they can, officials and locals said.

On the other hand, officials of the forest department have demanded that the government should provide them with vehicles, sophisticated weapons, and an efficient wireless system and form an elite forest force in each forest division to counter timber mafia effectively.

According to officials of the department, the field staff of the forest department had abandoned their duties in September 2007 when police had surrendered almost all police stations along with ammunition to militants in the forest covered areas of the valley.

The militants, in order to strengthen their files, had greeted all locals to join them in running the illegal business. In the process, members of the timber mafia, drug peddlers, drug addicts, poverty-stricken unemployed youth and absconders played an active part to earn money and meet their expenditures.

It is reported that as the forest guards withdrew, the people, especially the timber mafia, moved towards the thick forests and changed most of the forest covered areas into open grounds.

The worst affected areas include Shawar, being an inaccessible area and a hideout of militants, where thousands of trees of rare species have been cut.

An official said local people had joined hands with the timber mafia and militants and illegally sold timber logs to a man from Asband, Lower Dir.

The forests in the nearby area of Roringar also faced the same fate, which is also inaccessible for the forest staff in the prevailing circumstances who feel insecure to go the field.

Forests in the Kalam area are also vanishing fast. It is reported that an estimated 143,787 cubic feet timber has been cut only in Pia, Chel-Beshgram and Tirat-Shagram villages in the Madyan police area. It is said that local people are involved in tree chopping. The forest staff seem to be unable to move to the area, but they have established a checkpost at Fizagat in Mingora to stop transportation of trees on the main road.

Besides, trees have also been cut in the Madani forest area of Kalam. The Manglawar village is considered a safe haven for the timber mafia.

According to officials, the most notorious people involved in the trade of illegal timber hail from Manglawar, who have developed strong links with police and even high-level bureaucrats. They are said to be well armed and are so influential that they can easily gather a mob of locals and block roads for achieving their motives.

Some places where illegal timber is stored are located in Charma (Roringar), Charbagh, Khwazakhela, Shin, Malokabad Mingra, Dilli, Shah Dherai, Odigram, Gat Kota, Barikot, Koza and Bara Banda.

Most of the villages are located along the River Swat but the Shin village is much closer to the water and smugglers who want to carry timber logs through inflated rubber tubes stock it in the village’s godowns.

Militants have also cut forests close to villages of Mian Bela, Dardyal, Taal, Penorai, Manai, Mera and other localities.

The mafia has also cut the forests of Malam Jabba tourists resort, also making the area prone to flash floods.

An official said some months ago the forest staff had recovered 6,000 cubic feet timber from militants after an exchange of fire, but police had declined to extend help, saying it had been made possible only with provision of artillery cover by security forces.

As security forces have established checkposts on main roads, the timber mafia is transporting wood planks through the River Swat.

Like Swat, Shangla is the second district affected by militants wherein all the offices of the district administration, including that of the forest department, had been occupied by miscreants.

As reported to officials, the most affected forests in the region are of Alpurai, Lilownai, Bazarkot.

In the area, over 51,392 cubic feet timber has been cut. Sources said the forest department had not been able to asses the exact losses because officials could not go to the forests.

Referring to the data given to him by independent sources, an official said the losses were beyond imagination, saying the forests had been not destroyed as much during the past 20 years as had been destroyed in the past one year.