Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah ordered a massive crackdown on illegal sawmills across the state. The operation targets remote areas where loggers process stolen timber. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed the Forest Department to identify and shut down every unlicensed operation within seven days.
Forest officers must now seize all illegal timber stocks. They need to submit daily reports featuring geo-tagged photos of their progress. Baruah promised strict consequences for any official caught ignoring these units. He warned, "We have launched this drive in mission mode. Our objective is to ensure that every illegal sawmill across Assam is shut down within the coming week."
The government is also auditing licensed facilities. Inspectors will verify GST invoices, e-Way Bills, and Transit Passes to ensure no stolen wood enters the supply chain. Baruah flagged the transport of logs from Goalpara across the Brahmaputra River as a major concern. He urged locals to help by calling 94352-04444 to report illegal mills or corrupt officials.
Comments