Manipur proposes forest task force to combat smuggling

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Jan. 26 (EMN): Manipur’s Forest authorities are planning to send a proposal to the Centre seeking the establishment of a forest protection force (FPF) to combat illegal smuggling of forest and wildlife products in the volatile border state.
Disclosing this to the media here on Fri., Manipur Forest and Environment Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar said that the matter will be discussed in consultation with the state’s Chief Minister N Biren.
Shyamkumar hoped that the establishment of a FPF in the state would enable the department to curb illegal transportation of timber, besides other forest products.
Urging the public to help in combating the scourge, he said that the department was taking help from security forces including the army and the paramilitary in the state to help the forest department in stopping smuggling of forest and wildlife products.
The minister lauded the 26 Assam Rifles stationed at Thoubal for seizing 16 trucks loaded with timbers on Jan. 24. He said that the department had written a letter on May 18 2017 to all the security forces including the army and the paramilitary in the state to help the department. The security forces were requested to detain trucks carrying timbers without transit pass or watermarks, which are machine numbered by the department.
The minister felt that most of the forest products are being ‘smuggled during the night time without the permission of the Forest department / joint forest management committee taking advantage of the hilly terrain with porous border in the interior areas of the state.’