Timber smuggling posing threat to Kashmir forests

TOSA MAIDAN, INDIA - AUGUST 14: A view of Deodar stumps in recently deforested in the meadows on August 14, 2014 in Tosa Maidan 70 km (43 miles) west of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. Timber smugglers have been felling trees in the Tosa Maidan meadows for several years. Scientist Farooq Ahmed Lone led a team of researchers to the meadow last year and discovered that 40-50 per cent of the forests had been devastated by smuggling and illegal extraction of firewood. According to reports, the state has lost 875.665 hectares of forest land. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images)