MYITGYINA------The local witnesses told the Daily Eleven Newspaper that nearly a whole of valuable teaks and hardwood had been smuggled in Katha District, Sagaing Region.

There are over 1.3 million acres of forest reserves in Katha, Indaw, Bhamauk and Hteegaint Townships in Katha district. However, there were massive illegal loggings at the 1.3 million acres of forest reserves.

“Currently, there is only natural conservation area in Zalon Mountain. The remaining forest reserves are now empty. The timber smugglers mainly cut the valuable teaks and hardwoods in day and night. Therefore, there had been forest depletions. The illegal loggings are being exported to the China by using various vehicles including motorbikes. No one banned illegal timber export. The local will use the above mentioned timber logs at least three decades. The price of teak may be Ks 500,000 per ton so also the price of a charcoal bag is Ks 7,000. After two years later, there will be no hardwoods and teak in the region,” said a villager from Bhamauk Township.  

“Timber smugglers are known to transport large amounts of logged teak from Mandalay-Muse route, Shan States, Sagaing Region and Maijaryan which is KIA controlled area to China via overland routes. Mainly, the representatives of Chinese bosses cleared the routes staying at the hotel in Katha,” said a local from Katha who closed with the timber smugglers.

There are four townships such as Katha, Bhamauk, Indaw and Hteegaint in Katha district and there are 1,008,337 acres of 44 forest reserves.  

“The authorities seized the illegal timber loggings under the secure security condition. In recent days, the staffs from Township, General Administration Department and Forest department in Bhamauk Township were arrested. So, the staffs didn’t make survey individually. The Zalon Mountain Natural Conservation reserve can persuade the locals as they can to maintain the remaining forest reserves. All locals have a responsibility to maintain the remaining forest reserves,” said an unidentified official from Forest Department in Katha District.  

As there had been political changes in Myanmar after February 1st of 2021, the valuable teaks and hardwood are being smuggled in Kachin State and Sagaing Region.