LARKANA: The cops posted at the police picket of Ketty Mumtaz Police Station near Phulpota village have allegedly chopped off and sold trees worth millions of rupees. It was revealed here on Thursday.
The villagers including Muhammad Ismail Phulpoto, Ghulam, Ali Raza Phulpoto, Shoain Shaikh and others complained that their elders and forefathers planted hundreds of trees on the old embankment of Indus River to strengthen it from rapid flow of the river and they used to take care of them constantly and the poor men who were coming from Khairpur after crossing the river were taking relief under the shade of these trees along with farmers, herdmen and locals. They said they also gave bricks to the cops when a police picket was established during Daku Raj and the cops were also taking peace under the shade of those trees and a mosque was also constructed with their bricks.
They alleged that now bricks of the mosque have also been taken away by the posted cops and new SHO Ahmed Ali Odho of the Ketty Mumtaz police station has also cut off trees worth millions of rupees and sold them at the saw machine of Afroze Mirani in Naundero which can still be seen there even today.
Villager Muhammad Ismail Phulpoto, who is a retired army person, made a written complaint to SSP Larkana Imran Qureshi and DSP Naundero Murtaza Mirani who have ordered the saw machine owner to keep the wood as Amanat but no action has so far been taken against the criminal negligence of the involved cops.
DSP Mirani confirmed the receipt of the complaint and said that he has asked the saw machine owner Afroze Mirani to keep the chopped of trees’ wood as “Amanat” with him till further action is ordered by the SSP against the accused. He claimed he has no previous knowledge of tree cutting. He said he has also informed the SSP and on receipt of instructions from him further action will be taken against the accused.
Meanwhile, it has also been learnt that an Irrigation Department official Karim Bux Mangnejo who is posted at the protective bund of the Indus River has also written a letter to the SHO Ketty Mumtaz police station to register FIR against those who have removed the trees and caused tremendous environmental pollution apart from damage to the protective bund.
SHO Ahmed Ali Odho said that cops have only cut off one tree which will be used in the roof of the police picket which has been damaged. He said they don’t have any need for the trees but if the villagers require the trees then they can take them away.