How smugglers mark trees and ravage Kappata Hill

HUBLI: Kappata Hill in Gadag district was recently declared an ayurveda and medicinal plants hub by the state government. But its wealth seems to be its undoing since it is being targeted by smugglers. Even as iron ore thieves, wood smugglers and even wind mill owners are violating forest rules endangering the forests, wood smugglers have found a new way to exploit the hills.By scraping the tree’s bark, the smugglers are ensuring its rapid death without raising any suspicion. For, by scraping the bark, the tree dries up rapidly and eventually dies. And the smugglers can safely fell it and transport it by showing the authorities that is an aged tree and get way with it.This practice is being observed in areas surrounding Mundargi town and villages around Kappata Hill.Smugglers are looting commercially valuable trees like neem, banyan, peepal, fig, wild date, tamarind, mango, teak and rose wood, besides medicinal plants in this manner. Kappata Hill Rakshana Samiti convenor Y N Goudar told Express that when the Forest Department restricted entry to the hill, smugglers devised this method to smuggle wood and target trees situated on the roadsides.“If the trunk is damaged, the tree will die in 45 days to 60 days. Around eight to tenyear- old neem trees are thus scarred and left to dry and then chopped and taken away,” he added.He said the precious trees in the forest are facing a grave threat from these smugglers.Assistant Conservator of Forest S K Kallolikar told Express that when he visited Mundargi taluk, only three incidents came to his notice and had asked the Range Forest Officer (RFO) to register an FIR in this regard.“In some cases, farmers cut trees if they think the shade of the trees are affecting their crops. However, the Forest Department first consults farmers before planting roadside trees,” he said.The officer also denied the presence of any wood smugglers operating in the region.