Shyamkumar proposes Forest Protection Force
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR
Imphal, January 27 2018:
Forest and Environment Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar has saidtheForest Department is taking help from security forces including Army and Paramilitary in the State to help the Department to stop illegal smuggling of forest and wildlife products.
Addressing media persons at his residential quarter at Kanglapat, the Minister lauded the 26 Assam Rifles stationed at Thoubal for seizing 16 trucks loaded with timbers and said that due to shortage of staff especially the frontline staff, the Forest Department is seeking help from the security forces.
He said the Department on May 18 of last year had written a letter to all the security forces including Army and Paramilitary in the State to extend help to the Department.
Security forces were requested to detain trucks carrying timbers without transit pass or watermark.
The security forces were asked to hand over the seized trucks to the nearest Forest office, he said.
He said that most of the forest products are smuggled during the night time taking advantages of the hilly terrain with porous border in the interior areas of the State.
The Minister said that the committed Forest Department officials are working hard to save the forest and wildlife products of the State and as a commitment to save the environment, he along with the Forest officials have been conducting forest inspection tours in districts like the recently concluded tour to Henglep sub-division in Churachandpur district and Indo-Myanmar border in Tengnoupal district.
He said that the seizure of 16 trucks loaded with illegal timbers was carried out after all the security forces in the State were intimated by the Forest Department.
The Minister informed that the Department will send a proposal to the Centre for establishing a Forest Protection Force to combat illegal smuggling of forest and wildlife products.
Maintaining that the Chief Minister will be discussed in this regard, he expressed hope that the establishment of Forest Protection Force will enable the Department to curb the menace.
He appealed to the general public and media to help in combating the menace.
The Forest Department is also checking the areas where poppy and other illegal plants are planted after clearing the forest land.
He said that Department is planting saplings, harvesting and granting legal permission to cut trees as per laid-out the guidelines.
He said that as part of saving the environment, the Horticulture Department will plant fruit bearing trees in the areas where the forest lands have been cleared.