GUWAHATI: Unauthorised saw mills operating on the Assam-Meghalaya border will now be in the radar of a state-level vigilance team formed to check the menace of illegal tree felling in forests.
Assam forest minister, Parimal Suklabaidya informed that the newly-constituted vigilance team would conduct surprise checks across forest divisions to curb tree felling besides following up on public complaints.
“All the forest divisions have been instructed to conduct surveys to identify illegal saw mills and ensure their closure. Those still found operating such mills would be taken to task as per law. If needed we will also rein in illegal mills running along the Meghalaya border,” Suklabaidya told The Shillong Times on Monday.
Welcoming the forest department’s initiative to constitute the vigilance team, Debojit Napha, adviser of the Borduar-Bholagaon unit of All Rabha Students Union, however told this correspondent that such measures have to percolate to the grassroots for effective results.
The students union has time and again made appeals to the department to check rampant felling of sal trees by suspected timber smugglers at Muduki-Gutipathar under Loharghat forest range near the Assam-Meghalaya border
The timber is believed to be smuggled through at least three routes to saw mills in the adjacent areas under Jirang constituency in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
The state forest department is observing the 69th Van Mahatsov Week from July 1. The minister had participated at a central function on the occasion at Garopara under Jarasal reserve forest in Rani on the outskirts of the city on Sunday. A plantation programme was organised on the occasion.
Sources said the minister had in a circular to the forest divisions asked the respective divisional forest officers to identify one village in each constituency and plant at least 1,000 saplings there during the week.