Arunachal: Rampant illegal timber trade unearthed at Pasighat Reserve forest, probe ordered

Illegally logged wood from one of the most biodiverse regions of Arunachal Pradesh is being exported and end up in the hands of consumers across other parts of the northeast.

The latest revelations come after Arunachal Students Association (ASA) and locals of the Pasighat area unearthed the massive illegal trade of timbers from the Pasighat Reserve forest, East Siang district.

India Today NE has learned that the new revelations have prompted an investigation by Arunachal Pradesh authorities into illegal logging which accounts for the loss of biodiversity in the East Siang region.

Notably, based on a petition filed by the Students Association and locals of the Pasighat area of Arunachal Pradesh the state government on October 28, 2022, has set up an enquiry team.

The enquiry team headed by Tarun Johori, chief conservator of forest, eastern Arunachal circle Tezu visited the Pasighat and adjoining areas to enquire into the complaints filed by Lungkang Ering, President of ASA.

The video footage acquired by India Today NE reveals a huge amount of timbers are been chopped down illegally and are being transported via the Siang river to Assam which passes through the D Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in an organised manner.

ASA president Lungkang Ering claimed that the officials have failed to control the illegal logging as well as sawmills operating in the district.

Ering said the ASA had earlier lodged an FIR into the case and accordingly chief minister Pema Khandu had instructed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) to take action on it.

“A central mobile squad (CMS) was also formed under the Pasighat division range forest officer (RFO) who has in his report clearly mentioned that our allegations are ‘true’,” Ering said.

When the matter was raised, surprisingly the CCF responded to us by alleging that the student's body is involved in the illegal logging nexus whereas his office had already submitted a ground report on illegal timber trafficking and operation of sawmills in the area, he said.

Likewise, the association has also sought an investigation into the alleged misuse of CAMPA funds sanctioned against the forest division.

These funds, worth crores, were supposed to be utilized in forest conservation but have been diverted to flood control works of private individuals by the DFO, Ering said.

With this, the Arunachal Students Association (ASA) has asked the state government to immediately suspend Pasighat divisional forest officer (DFO) Tashi Mize and chief conservator of forest (CCF) Pekyom Ringu for their alleged failure to check illegal (timber) logging and misusing CAMPA funds.

Earlier a memorandum was also addressed to the Principal Secretary, Environment, Forests & Climate Change and apprised about the large-scale illegal timber operation and heavy destruction of forests that is going on in East Siang District which will lead to a biological imbalance in the region that may lead to disastrous natural calamities which will badly affect the local residents also besides causing heavy loss of revenue to the state government and loss of state resources. 

The Students body also alleged that there was prima facie evidence of involvement and support of senior forest officers to the illegal timber mafia can be seen from the I.er of the CCF, CAC, Pasighat.

Alleging the mafias with hand in gloves with the state forest department, the student's body said that instead of initiating any action against the suspected illegal timber mafia and carrying out a detailed investigation on the detected timber logs, CCF's attempt was to launch an opposite investigation against the complainant so that we do not complaint anymore against any timber illegalities.

Further in the series of pleas and fighting for the environment, the ASA also observed that normally the bend saws are given a license to furniture units for work on scants, but here the bend saws are used for sawing of big round logs as can be visible from the video evidence enclosed herewith. 

Notably, these bend saws are having timber depots of hundreds of logs in and around the compound. 

The huge heaves of sawdust and wastage deposited around the bend saws are clear evidence of uncontrolled sawing of logs around the clocks in these unlicensed sawmills. All these bend saws are having stocks of scants, planks and beams stak to the sky heights in the compounds with sheds above them.