#Rampant timber smuggling in the heart of Diphu, forest department turns blind eye to illicit felling
Diphu, 29 August'20: About 8 KMs forest area under Central Range West Division has become a den for illegal smuggling of timber. Illicit smuggling of timber by the timber mafia has become so rampant in the areas that locals have to raised concern regarding the matter with the forest department. Many trees standing across the National Highway between Diphu and Lumding were subjected to illegal felling by the mafia gang with sophisticated machinery.
There are beat office located nearby where this illegal activities of timber smuggling is taking place, however, they take no action to prevent the illicit felling.
Without the support and backing from the Beat Officer such huge smuggling activity wouldn't be possible. The Beat Officer #Nihang_Engti is in hand in glove with the mafia gang to carry out this nefarious activity. This correspondent has reached the spot when this illegal activity was going on. When the Beat Officer was faced with this correspondent, he was asked about his lackadaisical attitude towards the illegal activity, he responded by saying that he couldn't do much to prevent them due to the laxity of staff. The vehicle that was caught ferrying the illegal timber was again resorted to smuggling of the same item time and again, if there's no involvement of Beat Officer how could the vehicle resorts to similar activity all over again.
This rich forest under Central Range will be tonsure in no time if the current trend of rampant illicit felling of trees don't stop.
KAAC should immediately swing into action to nab the actual culprit and give a stricter punishment against such bad elements to prevent further occurence.
