Forest Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak made a surprise visit to the Mattewara Jungle Depot in Ludhiana, where he conducted a detailed inspection of the wooden logs stored at the site.
These logs were collected after the felling of green trees along the Ludhiana-Rahon Road, a process approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India.
Following the Minister’s directions, the Punjab State Forest Development Corporation (PSFDC) took swift action. A fact-finding committee, led by a Chief General Manager and comprising members from the Forest Department and PSFDC, has been established to conduct a thorough physical verification of timber stocks across all depots in the Phillaur division.
During the inspection, certain irregularities were detected, prompting the Minister to order the transfer of the concerned Regional Manager and Project Officer. Additionally, other field staff were reassigned, and tree felling along the Ludhiana-Rahon Road was immediately halted.
To ensure transparency, inter-regional committees have been set up for annual stock verification, and strict disciplinary action will be taken if any discrepancies are found during physical inspections.
The PSFDC follows two procedures for disposing of felled trees:
- Auctioning them through the government’s e-procurement portal.
- Direct felling by the Forest Corporation if the trees are in block forests or if the Public Works Department (PWD) has deposited the required charges for tree removal.
In the case of the Ludhiana-Rahon Road, PWD has already deposited the necessary amount. The PSFDC primarily sells standing trees and cut timber through tender-cum-auction on the government e-procurement portal, ensuring a transparent process that yields competitive rates. The felled timber is stored in depots before final disposal.