TURA: Illegal felling and smuggling of timber from forests and A’king lands in the South West Garo Hills continue despite ‘vigilance’ by forest department teams from both the state and the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.
The situation has come to such a pass that timber is now being shipped in mini trucks even in daylight from Garo Hills to the illegal saw mills located across the inter-state border in Assam.
On Friday, a mini truck loaded with freshly felled timber was speeding through the Ampati-Betasing road when it collided head on with a motorcycle with two persons on it at Gildinggre village under Betasing police outpost. The rider sustained head injury and was taken to Goalpara for medical tests.
The driver and other occupants of the vehicle fled from the scene leaving behind the timber consignment on the side of the road.
The A’chik Youth Council (AYC) organisation has questioned as to how such rampant smuggling of timber can take place when there is vigilance.
“Timber is being exported in daytime and police and the forest department officials are not showing interest in stopping this menace. How can timber be exported in daylight and why was no vehicle detained by police even though the vehicles are passing through their areas,” said S D Sangma, president of AYC.
He revealed that the illegal trade is continuing because even locals are getting involved for the lure of quick money and unless authorities clamp down Garo Hills could soon turn barren.
“Garo Hills Autonomous District Council has to strengthen its forest department with sufficient equipment to tackle this menace and awareness programmes on the dangers posed by deforestation must be conducted in villages,” said AYC.
In the last one week, reports and complaints are galore about illegal timber being transported through various routes.
One such route is the Phulbari and Dadenggre to Chibinang route through which illegal timber is regularly being exported to Assam.
Another area that timber smugglers are targeting is Rongsak, Rongbang Da’re and the foothills of Nokrek national park. Travellers from Tura heading to Rongsak on Thursday reported that two vehicles loaded with timber, covered in plastic sheets, were heading towards Asanang and Rongram at the peak of noon.
“To be able to pass through either Rongram, Jengjal or Dadenggre police stations and forest check points means something is amiss,” said an eye witness to the shipment of the illegal timber from the old Tura to Williamnagar PWD road.