Assam: Excessive Timber Smuggling Inside Raimona National Park In The Name Of PMAY-G House Raises Concerns

GUWAHATI: According to sources, a significant amount of timber smuggling has been going on inside the Chirang Reserve Forest and Raimona National Park under the guise of the PMAY-G home.

It should be emphasised that the doors, windows, and roof trusses included in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) government housing programme are made of wood or treated wood in accordance with government regulations. Consequently, in order to finish building the PMAY-G homes, the market's need for wood has skyrocketed, creating a timber crisis in the area markets of the National Park and reserve forest. 

"To fulfil the PMAY-G beneficiary's need, timber smuggling inside Raimona National Park and surrounding Chirang Reserve Forest has escalated rampantly," sources familiar with the development informed. Raimona forest, which is home to many Golden Langurs, is a Schedule-l species in India and is only found between the eastern part of the Manas River and the western part of the Sonkosh River.

Accordingly, nine bicycles carrying loads of wood were impounded in March in a remote area of Raimona National Park, where criminals hide out while exploiting the area's wilderness. In addition, a significant amount of Lali timber was seized in Kokrajhar's Ultapani range under the Holtugaon Forest Division. 

This lali was treated, making it ideal for use in roof trusses, according to the beneficiaries. According to the sources, recently, nine tractor trolleys filled with timber logs were captured by the forest patrolling team inside Chirang Reserved Forest, where the miscreants again flew away, leaving the loaded trolleys behind. 

''Several similar incidents are being witnessed for a long time, where the forest officials in such places are greatly in need of patrolling vehicles instead they are bound to drive confiscated vehicles,'' sources allege. They further asserted that timber smugglers in such areas profit from the clearing of valuable trees inside the forest by misusing funds intended for forest development and failing to meet vehicle requirements.

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