SRINAGAR: The Jammu Kashmir government has said that over the last two years, around 3.91 lakh cubic feet of timber have been distributed or sold to 2,526 consumers across the Union Territory through the State Forest Corporation and other channels.
In a written reply to an unstarred question by MLA Saif-ud-din Bhat, the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment said that timber distribution was made through both Fair Price Divisions and Concessional Timber Sale Depots (TSDs). During 2023–24, the total volume supplied stood at 1.75 lakh cubic feet, benefitting 1,773 consumers, while during 2024–25 (up to date), the distribution rose to 2.16 lakh cubic feet for 2,526 beneficiaries.
The data further shows that the highest timber allotments were made in north and south Kashmir divisions, with 61,842 cubic feet and 44,782 cubic feet respectively, under the “Kashmir Notice” mode of sale. The system allows local inhabitants living near forests to obtain timber at highly subsidised rates, depending on the availability of fallen trees.
The department said the “Kashmir Notice” mechanism was designed to provide legal and affordable access to timber to prevent illegal felling and smuggling. It also clarified that timber is supplied at concessional rates only when the silvicultural condition permits such extraction.
The government maintained that it intends to continue facilitating hassle-free allotment of timber to eligible residents through regulated systems to balance ecological sustainability with the needs of forest-dependent populations.
