SHILLONG: Ri Bhoi police has arrested four people for illegally cutting tress at Hima Jirang Reserve Forest.
Police said that on July 3, around 2 am, one vehicle (ML-06-4670) was seized and its driver Tairus Nonglang and his accomplices Bictorstar Wahlang, Shine Thangkhiew and Ferdinall Wahlang were arrested while they were loading logs which were illegally cut from Hima Jirang Reserve Forest.
When contacted, officials from the State Forest department said that almost all the illegal felling of trees takes place in the forests which are outside the control of the Forest department.
Claiming that the State owned reserve forests are well protected, the official however added that the department has scarcity of manpower to manage its own reserve forest.
