TURA, SEPT 30: A group of “timber smugglers” escaped when forest officials from Tura – Williamnagar range fired back after the timber mafia shot at them. firing.
The incident took place between Rombagre and Oragitok in West Garo Hills at about 2 am on Tuesday when the officials stopped the truck and tried to nab the persons transporting the timber.
Forest range officer, Chongkim Sangma said, “The incident took place in the wee hours, while we were on a regular patrolling. I was moving towards Williamnagar from Tura along with my team”. He informed that while they were approaching the truck loaded with timber, the timerb mafias fired at them. “We retaliated with our SBBL gun but they managed to escape”, he said.
No one was injured during the incident.
“We have seized the truck and have registered a case under Meghalaya Forest Regulation Act, 1973”, Sangma added.
Officials seized about 20 large logs of trees that had been cut down by the timber mafia. They were trying to transport these logs from East Garo hills to neighbouring Goalpara in Assam.
The seized truck belongs to one Nizamuddin of Goalpara bearing number AS – 18 C – 0049.
When asked, whether his forest guards were armed, Sangma said, “Our guards were not armed”. In the patrolling team, 10 personnel, including forest guards and foresters were present.
In the last one month, along Williamnagar – Tura route about 10 trucks loaded with timber, including pick-up van were intercepted by the team.
Officials say that lack of man-power in the department has posed a hindrance for managing forest, which in turn has led to depletion of vast green cover from the reserve. In Baija and Khera reserve forest in East Garo Hills, at least 60 per cent green cover has been cleared.
Forest guards serving in militant infested Garo hills have become vulnerable. Officials say that forest department had asked the government to provide armed home guards to help the forest guards, but there has been no response.
Four months ago, the some unarmed home guards were sacked by the government.
Officials say that the weapons provided to the forest guards by the department are meant only to check poaching and to tackle wild animals and are inadequate to match the fire power of the automatic weapons.
In June this year, state forest minister Prestone Tynsong had admitted in the assembly that the forest guards do not have sophisticated weapons with them. There were instances, when militants have snatched away weapons of the forest guards in Garo hills.
In 2011, suspected militants stole seven rifles, including four SBBL guns from the forest department range office in Chidekgre, under Williamnagar, East Garo Hills.- From Our Correspondent
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