NH-37 blocked for an hour due to fallen tree

A Correspondent

Boko: The NH-37 was blocked for an hour as a Sal tree had fallen on the national highway at Borpara village under West Kamrup division forest office on Wednesday.

The incident happened in Lamgaon Reserve Forest which is only 200 metres from Lampara Forest Beat Office. Timber smugglers had half cut the tree. Due to heavy rain, the tree fell on the national highway. Local public informed the forest office but the officials allegedly reached the site quite late.

A local resident and former Army personnel, Kalpa Nath Mali said that forest officials arrived but they failed to clear the highway. Later, Boko Police and a SDRF team cleared the road after an hour. He also added that the local people had informed the forest department about the illegal activities of timber smugglers but the department had allegedly not taken any action as yet.

While asked about the matter, DFO of West Kamrup, Ranjan Goswami said that whenever the department got any information regarding illegal felling of trees, they had always talen immediate action and managed to seize illegal timber and saw mills. He also added that they had seized a Mahindra Bolero pick-up van along with 15 wood logs worth around Rs 2 lakh, on Tuesday morning at Kalabakra under Bamunigaon Forest Office.

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