Double trouble for Rongrenggre forest

TURA, APR 18: The Rongrenggre reserve forest in East Garo hills, which is already under threat from timber mafia, is facing another challenge with the discovery of coal deposit inside its premises as gold diggers are now bent on illegally mining coal and further endangering the dwindling green cover.

This particular reserve forest has already lost 60 percent of its green cover as trees are being felled indiscriminately by timber smugglers and transported through the nose of the government officials.

Concerned nogs have been raising alarm over the dwindling forest cover as timber merchants and militants are engaged in felling the trees for fire wood.

Now with the discovery of coal in the reserve forest, illegal mining is another serious issue in this reserve forest. Ironically the reserve is located barely about 4 km from Williamnagar.

Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People, Williamnagar unit president Senseng Marak said, “Ilegal felling of tree has been there for a decade now. Even after several protest, nothing much has been done to protect the green cover. We have been struggling to ensure that the protected area is conserved.”

A survey conducted by different civil societies from Williamnagar reveals that huge segment inside the reserve forest have been opened for mining. This has further set off alarm bell as apprehension is that illegal mining and felling of trees will really now destroy the reserve forest.

Chisim Marak, a youth who live in the vicinity of the reserve said, “Vested interested have literally occupied the whole forest with no one to care. The discovery of the coal deposits and its extraction is a dangerous trend. A river runs through this forest and people depend on it for water. Mining should not be allowed”.

Another activist Taison D Shira blamed the district administration for the problem which is gradually affecting the fragile ecology.

“The timber and extracted coal have to be transported through the highways. It could have been stopped at various check points – Songsak, Tura and Williamnagar, but administration is silent on this”, said Shira.

The mining issue at the reserve forest has drawn criticism with an influential rights body like Centre for Environmental Protection And Rural Development (CEPARD) vowing to take up the matter.

CEPARD member Treepon Sangma questioned, “It seems very clear that there is something wrong. How is it so easy to transport forest products from within the range, when there are checkpoints everywhere?”

Sangma wondered how is it impossible to catch those timber smugglers and illegal coal traders when the transportation passed through the highways. He felt once the transportation of these products is stopped, naturally the market will also come down”.

Neither the forest officials nor the district administration officials are ready to comment on the issue as they simply say the matter have to be investigated.- By Our Reporter