Band sawmills pose a threat to Doboka Reserve Forest

A CORRESPONDENT

NAGAON: A section of illegal traders of Doboka in the Hojai district are allegedly running over ten band sawmills at places in the Doboka Forest Line under Doboka Forest Range. It poses a threat to Doboka Reserve Forest.

According to the allegation, a forest official provides all facilities for the illegal sawmills near Doboka Forest.

The band sawmills are allegedly installed at Pub Hatikali, Pachim Hatikali, Kalajhar, Kopahbari and Borbali in the Doboka area. Fakrul Chaudhary, Lutfur, Enam Udin, Parul Islam, Lebu Miya, Mohibub Ali and others are allegedly running the band sawmills.

Among these illegal traders, Fakrul Chaudhary had a registered timber outlet at Murajhar Bazar. He has a close association with several forest officials in the district. According to sources, he is allegedly running more than four illegal sawmills in the greater Doboka area.

It was alleged that all timber logs sawn in those illegal band sawmills were brought from the nearby reserve forest by a section of forest mafia of the district. The timbers were being legalized through the registered timber outlet based at Murajhar Bazar, sources alleged.

Due to the nexus between the forest official concerned and some river-sand businessmen, illegal trading of the river-sand of the Yamuna at Doboka is taking place although all the sand mohals were being officially closed.

It is pertinent to mention that as per an official report, the forest officials of Nagaon South Forest Division, Hojai busted around 60 illegal band sawmills in the district till the filing of this report.

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