A CORRESPONDENT
AZARA: A report published in The Sentinel exposing alleged illegal hill excavation in the Rani forest area has prompted action by the Forest Department, with a road construction contractor being detained in connection with the alleged excavation of a hill at Damelia Basti near Garopara under the Rani forest range in Kamrup district on Thursday.
The action comes a day after The Sentinel published an exclusive report on November 11 under the headline, 'Illegal excavation of hill in Rani triggers alarm over forest protection,' highlighting the alleged destruction of hill resources and serious concerns over the monitoring and protection of forest areas.
According to sources, a portion of a hill located just a short distance from the Garopara forest beat office was allegedly excavated, and the extracted earth was subsequently used in the construction of a nearby road stretching around 600 metres. The alleged excavation has raised serious questions over how such an operation could continue in proximity to a Forest Department beat office without timely intervention.
Contractor Nitu Sarma, who is executing the road project, was detained by the Forest Department in connection with the alleged illegal excavation. He was subsequently produced before a court, according to sources.
A senior official of the Kamrup East Forest Division confirmed that a case has been registered under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891, as amended in 1995.
Meanwhile, allegations have also surfaced regarding the alleged involvement of Bindaban Konwar of Bagan Narayanpur and Uday Rabha of Borjhar Bagan in the earth excavation operation. Serious questions have also been raised over whether Garopara Forest Beat Officer Jiten Das had prior knowledge of the alleged excavation and whether any financial transactions were involved in facilitating the operation.
When contacted for her response, the Rani Forest Range Officer Roji Barman could not be reached for comment. Attempts were made to contact her over the phone, but she did not answer the calls.