A CORRESPONDENT
BOKO: In the first budget session of the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly held from July 6, newly elected Boko-Chaygaon MLA Raju Mesh laid bare the alleged inaction of Assam's Forest Department on Wednesday. Raising the issue of rampant illegal logging in the Lampi area along the Assam-Meghalaya border, Mesh presented evidence of large-scale forest destruction continuing unchecked under the West Kamrup Forest Division area.
The MLA revealed that on July 2, Lampi Village Headman Krishna Chetry informed him about trucks bearing Meghalaya registration numbers transporting timber illegally with the help of unscrupulous traders. Acting on this information, Mesh, accompanied by Co-District Commissioner Priyanshu Bharadwaj, Boko Revenue Circle Officer Krishna Arjun Barman, RHAC Executive Member Arjun Chetry and several officials, visited Lampi on July 3. They were shocked to witness trucks and unidentified men from Meghalaya cutting trees and smuggling them across the border.
When questioned, the in-charge of Lampi police outpost admitted that such activities had been going on for a long time in the name of the disputed inter-state border area. He cited lack of vehicles for patrolling as the primary reason for police inaction. Mesh urged the forest minister to take immediate steps to curb the menace.
Local residents have long accused the Forest Department of negligence, pointing out that despite the presence of multiple forest offices, battalions, and protection ranges under the West Kamrup Forest Division, illegal logging continues daily. Valuable timber such as sal and teak has been smuggled out for years, with no effective measures taken.
Conscious circles have also called on the Meghalaya Government to protect the forests. The residents of Lampi area said that forest destroyers cannot belong to any state, they were only criminals and that future generations could survive only if proper action was taken against such criminal gangs.
Mesh also raised concerns about Lampi villagers being deprived of government schemes due to lack of land documents. He appealed to the Assam Government to provide land pattas, clean drinking water, transport facilities including a bus service, and mobile towers for better connectivity.
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