Imphal, April 15,
Except from a vested interested civil society body, who openly opposed the effort of Forest and Environment Minister, Th. Shyamkumar, almost every people of the state applauded the recent drive by the minister against illegal timber transportation.
However, after this reporter found huge quantity of timbers hiding at some places of Heirok in Thoubal district which is not far from Forest Office as well as a BSF Camp. At first the reporter speculated the timbers to have been seized items, but on learning that some people are transporting it from the place using trucks at around midnight, our reporter drilled the matters by spending times until he finally found out that these timbers are being kept and smuggled out in the nose of the Forest department and the BSF.
At a time when Forest Minister Th. Shyamkumar, spent sleepless night to check the smuggling of timber in the state, it is disheartening to learn staffs of some Forest department turning blind eyes to the smuggling of timbers right under their nose.
The timbers , stated above are being piled up at a foothill near Khulsaibung (Karongthel) Village which is about 200 meters from a BSF Camp located at Heirok Chingompok in Thoubal district. Opposite to the BSF camp is a Forest Office. Our reporter found out that the timber were smuggled from Machi side and piled up here.
The timbers were transported on Heirok to Keirembikhok route which is under the nose of the Forest office located opposite to the BSF camp at around 11 pm on heavy trucks. A numberless Gypsy guarded the truckload timbers while transporting the timber, our reporter added.
Promises of the present government to protect forest and to enforce the Forest law is likely to be another mockery if staffs don’t co-operate with the Forest Minister.