NASHIK: The vigilance of local youth revealed the shocking incident of unauthorised intrusion into the forest area of the Forest Department adjacent to the Ambasan village in the district and the destruction of trees by unknown assailants to prepare dandiya/Navratri sticks for the upcoming nine-day Navratri festival. Two pickup vehicles have been seized and handed over to the Taharabad Forest Department.
According to information, Saundara and Nimadhara forests in Ambasan (Bagalan) have turned green due to plantations by the forest department.
Even though the forest department and the village have banned the illegal curring of trees in the forest land, some people from Ajanale (Malegaon) intruded into the forest without permission on Sunday evening to cut green trees for the preparation of dandiya sticks for the nearing Navratri festival.
Later, after cutting trees, they were being taken by pick-up vehicles (No. MH 41, G 8466) and (MH 41, AU 4673), vigilant youths of the local Mandi valley laid a trap and caught the vehicles and informed the incident of the Tahrabad forest area.
After this, the forest staff rushed to the spot and seized both vehicles in the gram panchayat office premises with the help of the youth.
Meanwhile, this time Taharabad Forest Divisional Officer Sagar Patil, forest guard Tushar Desai and forest employees Sunil Shirke, Kisan Ahire and Renuka Ahire appreciated the villagers and took possession of both the pickup vehicles and parked them on the premises of Taharabad forest range. Citizens are demanding strict action against the concerned.
