Minister Suklabaidya asks officials to ensure no encroachment on forest land during a review meeting

June 19: Minister for Environment and Forest, Parimal Suklabaidya reviewed the status of forest schemes and projects in all the three districts of Barak Valley in Silchar on Saturday. Chairing a review meeting at Cachar Deputy Commissioner’s conference hall with MLAs, Deputy Commissioner, PCCF cum HoFF, CCF, DFOs and other range officials, Minister Suklabaidya said strict vigil must be kept on forests land and no encroachment must take place.

“A strict vigil has to be ensured so that there is no encroachment on forest land,” he quipped. He instructed the district administration and forest officials to keep a close watch in every village area so that ‘no person comes from outside and if anyone is settled that person has to strictly follow forest rules and regulations’. Suklabaidya also underscored the need for plantation drive on priority basis for extension of the green cover in all the three districts of the valley. He asked the officials to take immediate stringent action against those involved in illegal cutting or felling of trees and those operating illegal band saw mills and to book the offenders under relevant provisions of law.

The Minister called for a coordinated and pragmatic approach by all the DFOs and Forest Range Officers in association with the administrations of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts to put a stop to all illegal activities and to bring more areas under the green cover in order to make Assam a pollution free State.
MLAs Dipayan Chakraborty, Mihir Kanti Shome, Kaushik Rai, Deputy Commissioner, Keerthi Jalli, PCCF cum HoFF, AM Singh, CCF, Barak Valley, Jatin Sarma, DFO, Silchar, Sunny Deo Choudhury, DFO, Karimganj, Jainur Ali, DFO, Hailakandi, Mantaj Ali and other range officials were present in the review meeting.