Locals say lackadaisical attitude emboldening timber smugglers
Correspondent
DOLAMARA, Apr 29: Karbi Anglong is silently heading towards a very precarious future due to the rise of deforestation and smuggling of timbers which has been going on for the last 7-8 years. The felling of trees are still rampant and timbers are smuggled out towards Meghalaya, Nagaland and other districts of Assam mainly Nagaon, Golaghat and Jorhat.
Confirming the lack of fear of the forest mafias, a group of seven staffs led by Prosenjit Kiling went for patrolling along Dolamara – Kaipholangso (Kakojan Beat) on Friday night at around 9 pm spotted one truck without any registration number with full of timber on the road. However, on seeing the forest personnel the drivers and associates were managed to escape abandoning the loaded truck. The truck was later taken and kept under Northern Range.
While speaking to TDE local residents of the area call upon the government and council authority to conduct a search operation inside the forest and cease any machines as the districts is losing forest cover at a massive rate creating extreme concerns about its impact causing them. Further, locals stated that only seizing trucks cannot solve problems but has to take steps to deeper probe to trace the mastermind and associates involved in the illegal activities.
Smuggling of timbers have been reported through print and electronic media several times yet no positive steps from the concerned authority have been seen resulting continued rise of timber smuggling with many stating that lackadaisical attitude have only emboldened the forest mafias.
Meanwhile, forest officials reiterated to continue with all their available resources towards protecting the forest and take action against forest mafias.