‘Timber smugglers & officials in cahoots’

SHILLONG, JULY 7: The Garo hills zone of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP-GHZ) said that timber smugglers in Garo hills are working closely with local authorities as illegal and rampant felling of trees are taking place which is being smuggled to neighbouring Assam. The federation has demanded that the state government directs the forest and police departments to strictly enforce the Supreme Court ban on illegal felling and smuggling of trees.

In a statement issued on Monday FKJGP-GHZ president Pritam Marak said, “It shall be imperative that the government instructs the forest and the police departments to enforce all laws pertaining to illegal felling and smuggling of trees on anyone who breaks the law should be taken to task and penalized.”

Marak expressed the organization discontentment over the failure of the government and the departments concerned in curbing rampant illegal felling of trees from the forests of Garo hills which he alleged is being smuggled to Assam by smugglers who are allegedly working in cohesion with the local authorities.

Marak said, “It is highly questionable how the smugglers managed to cross over the Samanda forest check gate and the police outposts of Rongsak and Rongram” add that the timbers were being smuggled from Samandagre of East Garo hills to Dhubri district of Assam.

The FKJGP also claimed that it has been receiving information on the illegal felling of trees and movement of timber smugglers through different parts of Garo hills.

Marak said,“It is also alleged the timber smugglers enjoy the patronage of the officials from the forest department and even police officials.” He added that it is also alleged that the smugglers pay a part of their ill gotten money to the on duty officers of both the forest and police departments in exchange for a safe passage for smuggling of the timbers to Assam via different routes of Garo hills.

Marak said despite the Supreme Court ban on inter-state transfer of timbers of specific species such as Sal, Teak, Teetachap but felling of these trees have in fact been on the rise as per the allegations from different corners of Garo hills.

Marak also alleged that timber smugglers carry out their activities of felling and smuggling of timber after sunset and before sunrise taking advantage of the darkness of night. He said this is in violation of another order of the Supreme Court which prohibits any movement of forest products after sunset and before sunrise.

Marak also informed that the FKJGP, Garo hills zone had monitoring the routes through which these timbers were allegedly being smuggled and has so far intercepted such smugglers twice in June and July and handed over the seized timbers to the concerned authorities which confirms the allegations of rampant smuggling of timbers from Garo hills.- By Our Reporter