A CORRESPONDENT
NAZIRA: At a time when environmental protection and afforestation are being emphasised globally to combat rising global warming, the unchecked operation of several illegal sawmills across the undivided Sivasagar district has raised serious concerns about the gradual destruction of its green cover.
Despite the district now being administratively divided into Charaideo and Sivasagar, both areas continue to fall under a single forest division headed by one Divisional Forest Officer. In this context, allegations have surfaced that numerous illegal sawmills are operating across various forest ranges and beat office areas under the undivided district, reportedly without proper monitoring or regulation by the forest authorities.
According to sources associated with environmental protection activities, licensed sawmills equipped with band saw machines are only permitted to process timber up to 10 inches in size. They are not authorised to cut or process large round logs. However, it is alleged that many sawmills are violating these regulations by using larger machines to cut sizable logs obtained illegally, while their licenses continue to be renewed by the department.
It is also noteworthy that the approved band saw machines for licensed mills are required to have a maximum capacity of 10 inches. Contrary to this, several mills are reportedly using machines exceeding this limit to process large timber, further indicating regulatory violations.
Allegations further suggest that due to the negligence or inaction of the forest department, numerous illegal sawmills have mushroomed across different locations in the undivided district. These mills are reportedly engaged in large-scale illegal timber processing activities on a daily basis.
Also Read: The Sentinel impact: Nalbari Forest Division Launches Drive Against Illegal Sawmills