Urban Contractors Are Being Urged to Import Timber, If They Can Afford It

Urban contractors are being urged to import timber, if they can afford it. Annual Forestry Conference The ongoing demand for timber will never be met, unless there are some measures put in. This was the message when foresters and policy makers met at the annual forestry conference in Samdrupjongkhar this week. Department of forest and park service officials feel the shortage arises because of lack of management plans and implementers (human resource). Officials said that blue pine forests that has grown thick, and virtually without any space for radial growth or increment, should be thinned to meet the demand. “Thinning would make space for radial growth, while it would also produce additional volume of timber that would help bridge the existing demand shortage gap, ” said one of the officials. Department of forestry services’ director Karma Dukpa said, the sudden boom in the construction industry has increased the pressure on timber. “It isn’t that we’re not able to meet the immediate demand. While we are consistent on our supply, sudden boom in construction shoots up the demand, ” he said. “Timber isn’t in short supply in rural area. Just to meet few contractor’s demand, we can’t jeopardise our environment, ” the director said adding that timber in all accessible areas is exhausted. Participants at the workshop suggested that those, who can afford quality timber, should import timber, which the government had allowed recently. “Those who can afford, especially in the urban areas, should import timber, ” said the director. “This would ease the pressure on local timber. ” However, Karma Dukpa said, by 2013, with certain interim measures, the demand of 2.5Mcft (cubic feet) will be met. “We will never be able to fulfil 100 percent, unless we violate the environment and forest policies and rules. ” Foresters are also suggesting coming down hard on the sawmillers to reduce waste. “With improved technology, a lot of wastage could be saved, ” said the Bumthang dzongkhag forest officer, Dendup Tshering. “Almost 50 percent of the timber goes into waste because of poor technology. ” According to records with the department, there are about 68 sawmills in operation in the country, and their requirement at 100 percent capacity utilisation (working eight hours a day and 25 days a month) would be 10.2Mcft a year. The Natural Resource Development Commission (NRDCL) is able to bring only 2Mcft in a year. However, none of the sawmills were working at 100 percent capacity utilisation. While some were operating at 56 percent, others have been operating at as low as 5 to 6 percent, and some have even closed down. With those in operation, even working at 50 percent capacity utilisation, the demand of timber is estimated at about 5.1Mcft of logs annually. On an average, NRDCL is putting up about 44, 000 to 74, 000cft of logs for allotment per month. The shortage is aggravated by demand for timber for renovating or repairing dzongs, lhakhangs and monasteries in the country. Timber supplied for construction and renovation of dzong, lhakhangs and goenpa, at subsidised rate, is 496, 059.18cft annually. Source:kuenselonline.com