Assam: Sal timber worth of Rs 5 lakh seized in Kokrajhar

The Forest department personnel and the protection squad seized a large number of Sal logs and sawn timbers amounting of Rs 5 lakh from two different places on June 22^nd, 2020, evening at Athiabari area in Kokrajhar district in Assam

The Anti-Corruption & Crime Investigation Front, Bodoland environmental protection society and Forest staff from Eastern Range Athiabari carried out a joint operation at Lopongtopa village near Kaochi Bazar and were able to seize 10 pieces of valuable Sal logs which were smuggled by timber mafias from nearby deep forest areas under Kachugaon forest division in Kokrajhar district. Market value of the seized Sal logs would be approximately Rs. 2 lakh.

Also read: Assam: Illegal sawmill, sand mining busted, 2 dumpers seized in Basugaon

In another operation, the joint team seized two loaded vehicles carrying nearly 60 pieces of Sal sawn timbers at Nijilaguri forest village under eastern range Athiabari in Kokrajhar district. The smugglers were tried for smuggling the timbers when forest department staff detected and seized them. The seized timber's market value of Rs. 3 lakhs approximately. The seized timbers have been brought to Athiabari forest office.

"Forest department and the Anti-Corruption team have been taking stern measures to check the smuggling cases in the region", said a senior forest official.

On Saturday last, Chirang forest staff busted an illegal sawmill and sand mining along the Champawati River besides seized two dumpers and seized two dumpers. Forest department also recovered a large number of illegally smuggled timbers from different places in the district.

Forest staff from Basugaon Range and protection squad carried out a search operation on Saturday morning at Khagrabari area under Basugaon police station and were able to bust an illegal sawmill which was run by timber smugglers in the area. Forest department recovered several paraik timbers,non sal sawn timbers including 34 inches sawing blade and plat, two nos mill wheel, one piece of vertical stand,one generator and some objectionable materials from the spot.

Further, during the search operation, two numbers dumpers bearing registration no.AS26/7709 and AS01LC/4619 transporting minor minerals sand and stone from Champawati river Mahal during night time were detected by the Basugaon forest staff before sunrise on the day in Assam.

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