Forest officials haven’t always acted according to their reputations. Once again this has come forward when it’s found that the chir pine, one of the Himalayas’ oldest trees, is facing a threat due to illegal trading of resin of local contractors with connivance with forest officials.

Himalayan Chipko Foundation, an NGO, carried out an extensive investigation to find out that extraction of more resin than permissible causing the premature felling of the trees which then sold off in handsome prices. Chir pine wood is termite proof making it all the more valuable in the market other than the resin that is charged from the tree which after distillation produces turpentine oil and non-volatile resin.

The NGO reported that in Uttranchal and Himachal Pradesh after procuring the non-permitted level of resin a layer of carbon forms over the stem and as a result the tree breaks and then falls off prematurely. As the naturally fallen off trees can be sold without any permission the perpetrators always go scot-free. According to HCF chief J.P.Dabral who filed a PIL also in Supreme Court, the forest officials often show a little part of the resin extracted. The major part then is given to local contractors who sell it in a much lower rate in the open market.

Resin and turpentine oil have importance in plenty of pharmaceutical activities and will continue to be so. It’s for the sake of environment and the financial reasons, as well, important to arrange to stop this unchecked looting of chir pine trees.

Via-times of india.