Trees felled in Singda reserved forest area
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 07 2015 : One government watchman at Singda dam was caught red handed with a truckload of pine logs smuggled out on Tuesday.

He was overpowered by the local residents and reports say that some policemen and officials of the forest department had allegedly prevailed upon the activists to come to an understanding and set him free along with the logs.

Reports say that Thangboi Haokip has been working as the watchman in the IFCD (IMD-2).He is believed to be close to a cabinet minister in Manipur.

He was coming out of the dam areas in the truck bearing registration No.MN0 4A 4053 full of pine logs.

Members of Naharol Yaipha Thoudang Lup and Shingda Kadangband Part I Meira Paibi Lup flagged the truck down at the market.

Initially he told the activists that these pine trees had been uprooted in the recent storm.

Local sources said that seven trees had actually been uprooted during the storm.

However the activists established that 30 other trees had been cut down and the watchman could not give a satisfactory explanation as to how he had felled down the trees in the reserved forest in the catchment areas.

There had been adverse impact of deforestation in these dam areas.

Ignoring the serious implications some policemen reportedly asked the activists to set the watchman free and come to an understanding.

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