Illegal Timber Trade: Mafias operating in Towang Reserve Forest

Illegal felling of species of trees like Hollong and Meckai are continuously going on in Towang reserve forest under Borduria range office.

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Northeast Live exclusive coverage of illegal timber trade in Arunachal Pradesh has created a huge impact thereby prompting authorities to launch operations against indiscriminate felling of trees by timber mafias in Tirap district.

Independent sources have informed Northeast Live that illegal felling of precious species of trees like Hollong and Meckai are continuously going on in Towang reserve forest under Borduria range office in Tirap district for quite some time now.

Since the forest department had allegedly turned a mute spectator to the whole issue, an armed gang of timber mafias is cutting down trees just about 50 meters away from the Office of the Range Officer, Borduria Range. The trees are taken to bench sawmills in Rongluwa village.

Due to the rampant felling of trees, villagers are facing electricity disruptions for weeks and months as the lines are snapped.

Sources also alleged that a section of corrupt and greedy forest department personnel are operating hand in glove with the timber mafias due to which despite several complaints by the villagers, the forest department mostly remains a mute spectator.

The Towang reserve forest which is a central reserve is also a habitat for rich fauna, which due to the rampant felling of trees is now facing an existential crisis.

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