Officials inspected the site of illegal deforestation activities

HAMREN: Following the incident in which large-scale deforestation activities inside the Amareng forest area were captured on camera, several key officials visited the location and took stock of the situation and ensured appropriate action against the culprits.

The Amareng Forest in the West Karbi Anglong district of the state is a large area rich in different types of forests and other natural resources. But in the last few months, it was observed that a large number of people were engaged in illegal activities including destroying forest areas and doing sand and rock mining inside the forest area without the knowledge of the concerned authorities. He had also established a stone quarry inside the forest without any license.

A special team of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council visited the location and took stock of the situation. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Divisional Forest Officer, Secretary of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and several other officials visited the location and took stock of the development. He also took first-hand notes about the large-scale deforestation in the area as well as other illegal activities going on at the location.

It may be noted that the miscreants had earlier misbehaved and threatened to kill the journalists who had gone there to find out what was really going on in the area.

Cutting of trees is taking place on a large scale in the Koka area of Amareng forest under the Southern Range Kheroni of the Forest Department. Along with large-scale deforestation, illegal mining of sand and stone is also being done in places that were previously under dense forest, causing further damage to the environment.

According to local people, miscreants have been collecting valuable forest resources including precious wood and other materials from the forest and these activities have intensified in the last two to three months, causing considerable damage to the forest. Local people have accused the elected representatives of No. 7 Kopili and No. 9 Amareng constituencies of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council of supporting these miscreants in their actions towards the destruction of these forest areas.