Assam: Locals Demand Probe into Smuggling in West Kamrup Reserve Forests

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKO: Assam’s reserve forest areas under West Kamrup Division are under threat, because smugglers are allegedly cutting soil, and engaged in deforestation of reserve forest areas. The horrific condition of a reserve forest which is under the Bondapara range has startled the locals as well as West Kamrup DFO Subodh Talukdar. The shocking situation came to light after the people of the Sukuniapara-Boripara area alleged that some smugglers were excavating soil from the reserve forest area. While questioned on the matter of permission and other documents for the cutting of soil, in-charge and Deputy Range Officer Bhairab Chandra Sharma failed to produce any documents. However Sharma accepted that smugglers are cutting soil in the reserve forest area also. During the interactions with the media, Sharma tried to show some mining documents which had already expired and also in those documents, there was a lack of proper details. However, regarding the documents, DFO West Division Subodh Talukdar has also admitted that the documents cannot prove anything regarding the reserve forest land mining incident.

On the other hand, Boripara Village Headman Jagdish Rabha alleged that this infringement of the law had taken place with the connivance of forest department’s officials. He said, “We told the forest officials about this illegal activity. But they ignored us, therefore we suspect that they are also involved in this matter.” Headman Jagdish Rabha also said, “People of the area cannot stop them, because they will attack us in the dark or we will be under threat.” He further said that not only soil but under the connivance of the forest department, smugglers were also illegally mining sand from the Singra river near Dekapara village. Locals and village headmen from Boripara and nearby villages urged the Guardian Minister of the Kamrup District and Forest Minister of the state Chandra Mohan Patowary for an investigation and action against mining in the reserve forest area, which is also a wild elephant corridor.

However, an anonymous villager from the Bondapara area said that the West Kamrup Forest Division is like ‘black will take no other hue.’ He said, “We have never seen that they are successful in stopping deforestation. Every day, three to seven wood logs are transported from the Bondapara range area to the Brahmaputra riverine area. The department has also failed to solve the human- elephant conflicts.” He further said, “The forest department is now like the protector is the devourer. Therefore, without any problems or fear, smugglers mine sand, soil and transport it to other places. Thus, the government has lost crores of revenue and normal people have to pay in the name of price hikes, tax hikes, etc.”

Showing some hope, villagers said, “Now that the DFO West Division himself saw the illegal soil cutting under Bondapara range, we will see what actions will be taken.”

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