Conservator of Forest to submit report on Tinkupani deforestation case

our Correspondent

DIGBOI, November 7: Following the recovery of 33 pieces of chopped timber logs from Tinkupani Reserve Forest area of Jagun Range under Digboi Division in Tinsukia district recently in an iccessible area between Assam-Aruchal border area of Tinsukia and Changlang districts, an immediate inquiry was conducted by M Tungnung, the Conservator of Forest, Eastern Assam Circle, which concluded on Monday evening. Talking to The Sentinel at the AOD Guest House, Thungnung condemned the act of merciless felling of 13 trees chopped into 33 pieces of logs and said that stern action would be initiated soon against dereliction of duty on the part of employees of the range concerned.

According to him, based on the reply of the show cause notice to some of the employees of the department to be served soon, the higher authority would initiate appropriate steps subsequently. Admitting departmental lapses to some extent, Thungnung  said that unless there was a lapse on the part of the department, the incident would not have occurred. Though not sure of the nexus, he said that the forest products thus recovered indicated that timber smuggling was being carried out ubated in the belt and transported to the neighbouring state where the timber mills are functiol. Stressing the need of shuffling some of the rooted employees, he said that a freshly-recruited Ranger currently attached to the divisiol office would be placed at Margherita Range West Block, which till date has been looked after by the Jagun Ranger. Taking about the Tinkupani inter-State timber smuggling,  Thungnung said that

destruction of ture, exploitation of forest products, wildlife poaching and encroachment would not be tolerated at all.