Assam Forest minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Thursday conducted an extensive on-ground inspection of the Behali Reserve Forest following reports of large-scale destruction of forest land by cross state border miscreants.
The minister reviewed the situation in the presence of senior forest department officials, Assam Police and civil administration, and announced a series of immediate measures to protect the reserve forest, restore the damaged areas and strengthen enforcement on the ground.
The inspection was undertaken after reports of extensive forest destruction in the Behali Forest Range along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary.
Satellite imagery and drone assessments comparing the condition of the forest over the past six months have confirmed that nearly 400 hectares of forest land have been encroached upon and extensively damaged during the period.
During the visit, the Minister assessed the affected locations physically as well as with drone images and reviewed the security arrangements and examined the challenges faced by frontline forest personnel in protecting the reserve forest.
Emphasising the Assam government’s unwavering commitment to forest conservation, Mallabaruah directed that restoration of the damaged areas should begin immediately.
He instructed the ecological task force to undertake systematic plantation and ecological restoration in close coordination with the forest department to regenerate the degraded forest and restore its ecological balance.
The minister also announced a comprehensive plan to strengthen forest protection infrastructure across the area. He directed officials to immediately address deficiencies in existing forest camps, improve approach roads leading to vulnerable locations and initiate the process for construction of an additional access road to ensure rapid deployment of personnel whenever required.
To reinforce security in the reserve forest, the minister directed the Assam Police and the Forest Battalion to work in close coordination and maintain continuous surveillance in vulnerable stretches.
He further instructed that additional camps be established in areas where forest destruction has occurred so that the affected locations remain under constant protection.
