Himachal Pradesh forest staff to be equipped with arms to curb smuggling

In the view of infiltration of smugglers, the Himachal Pradesh forest department has decided to equip their personnel with adequate arms to check smuggling of wood in the state.

According to an official in the department, there has been a series of infiltration from sensitive areas adjoining Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. “The personnel posted in the checkposts in these areas can carry pistols, guns, revolvers or rifles to check illegal felling and smuggling of trees. Since the smugglers are equipped with the most modern arms, the department personnel are being equipped to be able to tackle the smuggling,” he said.

As of now, the personnel deployed in Bilaspur, Dharamshala, Hamirpur, Nalagarh, Nurpur and Una forest ranges are permitted to carry arms, he added.