TURA, FEB 29: The illegal smuggling of timber and boulder in Garo hills has forced the Meghalaya forest and environment department officials to tighten its vigil.
“We have intensified our patrolling across Garo hills. Our officials have made a series of seizures in different part of Garo hills”, said an official.
In two different incidents last week eight truck loaded with timber and four truck loaded with boulders were confiscated in West Garo Hills.
“The boulders were seized for illegal transportation as they did not have proper documents and transit permit”, said Micheal.
Officials, refusing to be named, said, “Miscreants take advantage of the law and order situation in Garo hills. In several occasion, we have been outnumbered by the smugglers”.
Last week, a video had gone viral in social media on cutting down of trees in huge numbers at Nokrek Biosphere Reserve of West Garo Hills.
When quizzed officials, he said, “Our efforts are on to check such activities but we have manpower constrain and our personnel are unarmed”.
A range officer said, “We have been risking our lives to protect the forest, we seek people cooperation to curb the menace”. Most reserve forest in Garo hills are dense and thick, which is frequented by militants of different organisations.
A statement by Centre for Environment Protection and Rural Development (CEPARD) said that timber smugglers are working in tandem with forest department officials of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.
The ngos pointed that presence of illegal saw mill in plain belt areas of West Garo Hills is a testimony to this fact.
Most of the timbers are illegally smuggled to neighbouring districts of Assam.-From Our Correspondent
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