Hollong is the State tree of Assam and this kind of unique trees were found in abundance in the pristine rain forest of Upper Assam. The Dihing-Patkai rainforest had large number of these tall, beautiful trees but it transpired from the report published in your newspaper on 29/4/20 and 25/7/20 that this wonderful tree is virtually on the verge of extinction due to the wanton destruction by timber mafia. It appears that timber mafia with the blessing of the indolent forest officials plunder this dense forest. The other reasons as we learnt is the skeletal staff with which it is very difficult to check the illegal felling of Hollong trees. The manner and pace at which felling of Hollong is carried out by timber mafia, we apprehend that within a decade this majestic tree will become extinct from the rain forest of Assam.
There is provision in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to declare a wildlife species as endangered. Besides stringent laws are there to deal with any person who disturb or cause harm to such species and even life imprisonment is prescribed for the poaching in Assam but so far as tree is concerned there is no such law in India to declare a particular tree as endangered, rare or threatened. The illegal logging is treated lightly and a paltry fine or light imprisonment is imposed to the offender.
We, therefore, like to place a few suggestions in this regard. 1) Take steps to amend the relevant laws so that a particular tree may be declared as endangered, rare or threatened. 2) Enlist Hollong trees in such list as among the endangered and threatened trees. 3) Let stringent punishment be inflicted to those involved in illegal logging. 4) The NGOs, nature loving citizens and college students who reside within the periphery of rainforests should be encouraged to plant Hollong trees. 5) Let the syllabi of schools be modified to include the story of Hollong. 6) Fill up the vacancies of forest officials in the entire rain forest area of Assam on top priority basis.7) Explore the possibility of installing sensors in some Hollong trees. Karnataka forest department has already used such a device to check the poaching of sandalwood. The advantage of using such a device is that when a tree faces any threat of chopping, cutting or uprooting, the device sends an alert.
Jayanta Deka,
Mangaldoi