TURA, June 25: Vigilant groups from Phulbari town in West Garo Hills foiled an illegal timber-smuggling bid on Friday evening near the village of Machangpani and handed over the seized vehicles along with the illegal timber to the police and later the Forest department for further action.
The groups, including the GSU, GSMC and AYMBS, were informed of the movement of a timber-laden vehicle last evening and on spotting two vehicles (ML08G0524 and ML08C1223), they immediately intercepted it. During check, the groups found it to be full of freshly sawed trees.
They then filed a complained with the police in Phulbari.
“We handed over the vehicle to the police and have contacted the state Forest department so that action can be taken against them. This has become a repetitive exercise and unless strong action is taken, will not be stopped,” said GSU vice president Peter A Sangma.
The groups have expressed their discontent with the lack of checks that has been encouraging the rampant tree felling by smugglers in forests around Phulbari.
Questioning how can such illegalities come to pass, especially right under the nose of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and the state government, the president of AYMBS Nikseng Sangma said, “Just look at the disastrous amount of rains that have hit Garo Hills and led to the deaths of more than 14 persons, just in the past month. Climate change is already upon us and even now the people responsible for manning our forests are not serious. At this rate, Garo Hills is soon going to be barren.”
Jack A Sangma of the GSMC contended that illegal timber smuggling has been on the rise in the area since the past decade mainly due to the lackadaisical attitude of the ones responsible to check these activities.
“There are so many timber mills in the plain belt with all these operating right under the noses of authorities. We understand that there may be a lack of manpower, but these can always be stopped while it is being transported. If the system had not been so lax, the entire menace can be nipped in the bud. However we are witnessing just the opposite,” he said, while appealing to all concerned to ensure safeguard of forests.
