Indore Timber Smuggling: Forest Department Efforts Fall Short Amid Corruption, Poor Enforcement

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Forest Department has initiated efforts to curb the growing illegal timber smuggling in Indore district by setting up a security line around key areas, including Indore, Ujjain, and the surrounding regions.

This move is part of a broader strategy to inspect and control every truck entering the Indore Forest Circle’s borders, aiming to tackle the illegal transport and cutting of trees. However, despite these efforts, the department's inability to effectively enforce regulations, coupled with allegations of corruption, has allowed the smuggling to continue unabated.

Madhya Pradesh has imposed a strict ban on the cutting and transportation of 53 tree species, but the illegal trade remains rampant. Timber-laden trucks, often without transport permits, are freely supplying factories in industrial zones such as Dewas, Pithampur, and Sanwer.

Traders from Ujjain, Shajapur, Depalpur, and Sanwer are actively involved in this operation. Over 300 trucks have been used in the last three months to transport timber to these factories.

The most concerning issue is the Forest Department’s inability to halt these activities at the forest checkpoints. Trucks pass through without inspection, exposing the deep flaws in the department’s monitoring system. Despite the knowledge of senior officials about the illegal activities, no action has been taken to address the smuggling. Sources indicate that internal collusion within the department may be allowing traders to continue operating with impunity.

DFO Pradeep Mishra, in response to growing concerns, acknowledged the scale of the issue, stating, “We are conducting an inquiry, and a new team will be formed to address this problem.” This statement comes after months of unchecked illegal activities, leading many to question the department’s delayed response and lack of preventive measures.

The Forest Department has night patrols in place, yet smuggling continues at night, with trucks operating between 11 pm and 7 am. Despite the patrols, these trucks continue to pass through checkpoints without any intervention, highlighting the ineffectiveness of the current enforcement efforts.

This failure to curb timber smuggling points to a larger problem within the Forest Department: weak enforcement, poor coordination, and possible internal corruption. The lack of action has emboldened traders, who now operate without fear of reprisal, putting forests at further risk and undermining efforts to protect natural resources.