Poonam Nath

Wood Smuggling Busted: Dhubri's Char Area Hides Illegal Mills  

Digital Desk: In a major crackdown, Assam forest officials busted several illegal band sawmills operating in the remote char areas of Dhubri district on Friday. The mills were located deep within a riverine zone and could be reached only by boat.

The high-risk operation was overseen by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Golap Kumar Bania. A specialized unit led by Chakrapanai Roy, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Safiqur Rahman, Forest Ranger of the Forest Check Station Range, and Dipankar Choudhury, Protection unit Dhubri, carried out the raid.

The squad destroyed the mills on-site and seized all of the equipment which was taken back to Dhubri for further legal action. Preliminary investigations reveal that the mills handled illegally fallen lumber from neighboring forested areas, threatening the sensitive ecosystem of the char areas.

Golap Kumar Bania issued a statement, stating ''These illegal band sawmills pose a serious threat to our forest cover and ecological balance. We are committed to cracking down on such illegal operations and will not hesitate to take strict action against those responsible.''

Locals reported the operations had been going on discreetly for months, with band sawmills illegally carried through river routes. The Forest Department also urged individuals to stay cautious and report any suspicious or unlawful activity.

Officials promised that tight measures and operations would be implemented to conserve Assam's disappearing biodiversity.