The Assam government has launched a state-wide enforcement campaign to identify and dismantle illegal sawmills operating across the state. Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah has warned that officials who fail to curb such activities in their jurisdictions will face departmental action.
Speaking during a live interaction on social media on Tuesday, the minister said the crackdown has been initiated under the direction of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as part of the government’s broader effort to protect Assam’s forests and curb illegal timber trade.
The Forest Department has directed all Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs), Range Officers and field staff to conduct intensive inspections across every forest division.
Officials have been instructed to trace unauthorised sawmills, seize illegally processed timber and ensure that such units are permanently shut down. Special attention is being given to remote and interior areas where illegally felled timber is often transported for processing.
The department has made it mandatory for field officers to submit geo-tagged photographs along with daily division-wise and range-wise reports detailing the action taken.
The minister also announced stricter scrutiny of licensed sawmills.
Officials have been asked to verify that licensed units are operating strictly within the conditions of their permits and have not installed unauthorised machinery. They have also been directed to inspect timber stocks and verify supporting documents, including Transit Passes (TP), GST invoices, e-Way Bills and other mandatory records.
Issuing a stern warning to the department, Mallabaruah said officers will be held personally responsible if illegal sawmills continue to function in their respective jurisdictions.
“We are carrying out this operation in mission mode. Our goal is to ensure that every illegal sawmill across Assam is identified and shut down within the next week,” the minister said.
Expressing concern over reports of illegal timber transportation from forest areas, particularly from Goalpara across the Brahmaputra to locations such as Baghbar, the minister said the government will not tolerate organised destruction of forest resources.
He appealed to citizens to share information about illegal sawmills, including photographs or other evidence, through the Forest Department’s dedicated helpline 94352-04444. He assured that the identity of informants will be kept confidential and urged people to report any alleged nexus between forest officials and illegal sawmill operators, promising strict action against those found guilty.
The minister further said the department will closely monitor the entire timber supply chain, including end users. Individuals and commercial establishments found using timber without valid Transit Passes, GST documentation or other legally required records may also face legal action.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to forest conservation, Mallabaruah called upon departmental officials and the public to work together to make the statewide campaign against illegal sawmills effective and successful.
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