Earth-cutting in Amsing; excavators, dumpers seized; two persons held

From our Correspondent

DIMORIA, April 17: A team of forest officials from Jorabat cracked down on people illegally carrying earth from Amsing Reserve Forest today and seized a JCB excavator (AS01DC0159), a Pokland, two dumpers (AS01DC5591 and AS01GC7931) and arrested two persons.

A section of people has illegally occupied lands in the reserve forest from Jorabat to Sopur running along tiol Highway-37. The encroachers have been engaged in illegal cutting of earth in the reserve forest.

Red soil was being cut from a hill at 13 Mile near Jorabat today when a team of forest officials led by beat officer Satish Sarma raided the area. Such digging activities are a regular affair in the area. However, a section of media persons today informed the forest beat office of the illegal earth-cutting, and that led the forest personnel raiding the area.

Forest beat officer Sarma said: “Earth cutting in the hills is illegal. They are cutting earth without any permission from the Forest Department. The person who has been looking after the land said that the plot belonged to one Nirmal Sarma. The earth-cutting was carried on so as to keep bitumen drums at the site. When asked for any permission for earth-cutting, the chowkidar failed to produce any.”