Assam: Illegal timber worth Rs 2 lakh seized in Kokrajhar

A huge consignment of smuggled sal timber was seized at Sapkata area in Kokrajhar district in Assam on May 27^th, 2020.

Acting on specific inputs, a joint team comprising of Forest staff, Anti-corruption and Crime Investigation Front, Bodoland environmental protection society and Pathgaon police conducted a search operation along the Sapkata under eastern Athiabari range in Kachugaon forest division and able to seize two vehicles while carrying Sal timbers which were smuggled by timber mafias for black market in Kokrajhar district.

The timbers were illegally smuggling from Premnagar area. The forest officials also seized two vehicles (Tata sumo and Centre) in which timbers were carrying. Drivers and timber mafias fled the spot and abandoned the vehicles on the roadside. The market value of the seized timbers would be approximately Rs.2 lakhs. The vehicles and seized timbers were brought to the Athiabari forest office. Forest department and environmentally lovers jointly taking stern measures to make reforestation in the area.

Also read: Assam: Timber worth Rs 5 lakh seized in Kokrajhar

"We are jointly taking strict operation against the timber smuggling and deforestation along with the deep jungles in Kachugaon and Haltugaon forest division in Kokrajhar district. The deforestation activities and timber smuggling cases are going increase day by day in the area,” said a forest protection member in Kokrajhar.

On May 18^th, 2020, the forest department officials in cooperation with the SSB jawans seized a huge stock of sal timber worth Rs 5 lakh at Ultapani in the district. Timber smuggling has been a major issue in the region.

Getting inputs about timber smuggling at Ride no 9 and 10 under Ultapani range office, a joint operation team of forest department and SSB jawans from Saralpara, had conducted the operation against the timber mafias since late evening along the Indo-Bhutan border areas inside deep jungles of the Haltugaon division and seized the tractors. Later, the timbers were brought to the to Ultapani forest range office.

As per information, the timbers were supposed to be handed over to the timber smugglers Kokrajhar town via Saralbhanga river bank for the market.

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