Border villagers blame timber trucks for bad roads

TURA: Villages along the border of North Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills are complaining about rampant smuggling of timber from the region for the deteriorating road condition and are demanding the state authorities clamp down hard on the illegal trade.
The villagers have said dozens of timber-laden trucks from West Khasi Hills are passing through the Mallangkona-Bondapara road and the Riangdo-Hahim-Boko road into Assam every night without the knowledge of authorities. These heavy vehicles are not only damaging the environment but also the roads, which are the lifeline for the villagers. Although the area falls under Rambrai Jyrngam constituency in West Khasi Hills, the villagers residing on the inter-district border are bearing the brunt suffering the impact of the illegal trade.
“A 14-km road from Bondapara to Mallangkona takes close to an hour to travel having to navigate giant-sized potholes and a completely stripped tarmac due to continuous movement of heavy trucks,” complain residents Avinash Marak and Tengseng Momin.
They blame government apathy and absence of a police check post and forest gate for such unabated illegal supply of timber.
“Every year this racket is taking place and yet no attempt is being made to stop it by successive governments. This road is our lifeline and it remains neglected. Those of us living in the border belt are the most affected by what is going on,” says another resident, Saljrang Momin.
The illegal timber trade has been expanding to newer areas of the state with the maximum cases being reported from West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills region that has the largest area of forest cover which is now facing threat in the light of rampant felling.