Eastern public complain of wood smuggling

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 May 2004, 16:48 GMT]
A large number of valuable trees in Vakaneri, Poththanai, Poonaakaadu and Kaaradipaththy areas of the Batticaloa district are being felled and smuggled out illegally during the past few weeks, thus robbing valuable forest resources, residents complained to TamilNet Thursday.

The felled trees are taken through the Sri Lanka Army camp in Punanai, and the public complain that SLA personnel are assisting in the illegal trade in forest resources by some smuggler-traders in Ottamavady.

Such wood smuggling was absent when the Forest Resources division of the Liberation Tigers used to patrol the area. But after the recent crisis in the LTTE ranks, the Tigers have not yet restarted the forest patrols. The smugglers are taking advantage of the situation to denude the forests, sources said.