Sofior accuse forest officials of demanding money
SHILLONG: Balachanda MDC Sofior Rahman has said that the accusations of preventing a team of GHADC forest officials to conduct raids against illegal sawmills are baseless and made with the intention to damage his image.
In a statement issued here, the MDC informed that on Wednesday, he found out that some of the GHADC forest officials demanded Rs 1 lakh from the sawmill owner at Phershakandi village to not seize the illegal mill.
The MDC met the officials while on their way back and he questioned them regarding the rumour about demanding money to not seize the mill. Rahman expressed shock over the forest officials’ statements and said that some of them let smugglers supply logs to the plain areas in return for money. He also warned the officials at Balachanda check point over illegal transportation of logs but instead they challenged him. The MDC has alleged that one Ranger Abdul Latif, who has retired but somehow extended his service through unfair means, has been taking money from the sawmill owners of Chibinang-Rajabala.
Anarul Islam, son of Abdul Latif, who is also a forest official, GHADC collects the money from those sawmill owners monthly, he added. Rahman has urged the authority to set up an inquiry against the forest officials’ allegations against him and has also asked the GHADC to conduct a joint operation in Balachanda constituency
in which the MDC himself will reveal how the illegal sawmills are provided wood.
“I urge the NGOs of Garo Hills to find the details of Abdul Latif, Range Officer of Phulbari. He is the only source for collecting money from timber smugglers and sawmills owners and giving a share to the higher authorities. I have urged the GHADC for a joint operation in the matter of forest and council land of Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala and Hallidayganj Bazar but no response has been given”, the MDC added.
