Illegal cutting of trees, with the alleged connivance of officials from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) is prevalent in the federal capital.
According to sources, many precious trees have been chopped from Benazir Bhutto Road (Murree Road). The timber mafia obtains wood worth millions of rupees after paying a few thousand rupees in fines.
According to sources in CDA, a person was recently caught transporting CDA owned timber on a vehicle with the registration number LHN-2781. On receiving information, Environment Directorate officials confiscated the vehicle along with the timber and parked it in its office in the F-9 Park.
Unbridled timber theft was being carried out in different areas of the federal capital and officials of the environment department of CDA and forest guards were allegedly involved in the theft.
When a member of the timber mafia was caught, he had to pay a fine worth a few thousand rupees to get back in business, the sources added.
