GUWAHATI: The Assam forest department seized three mini trucks for illegally transporting pine sawn timber, at Lalmati village in Boko under Singra forest range in the wee hours of Thursday.
A team led by Bamunigaon forest range officer, Kushal Das launched an operation and seized the trucks. However, the timber “smugglers” escaped from the spot taking advantage of the wee-hour darkness.
West Kamrup divisional forest officer, Ranjan Goswami told The Shillong Times here that the timber worth around Rs 3lakh is suspected to have been illegally transported from Meghalaya.
“The chief conservator of forest (central Assam circle) H.K Talukdar had about a week back shared inputs regarding attempts by timber smugglers to transport the forest produce illegally into Assam. So we were on alert and working on this ambush over the past week,” Goswami said.
“As a matter of fact, one such truck was seized at Byrnihat and two arrested on June 11 last by police. Thereafter, we believe the smugglers have changed routes to transport timber through perceived safe passages to various parts of the state,” he said.
Goswami further said that he has immediately intimated his West Khasi Hills counterpart informing him about the seizure and the need for a joint bid to prevent illegal transportation of forest produce from Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, the principal chief conservator of forest has directed all forest offices on the Assam-Meghalaya border to be on vigil to thwart such attempts by smugglers.
“Smugglers always escort the trucks transporting the illegally sawn timber. Today, the smugglers tried to attack the forest team but escaped when they found they were outnumbered,” the DFO said.