CHANGLANG, 8 Apr: Taking serious note of the Jairampur forest division DFO’s failure to comply with the order issued by the Deomali chief conservator of forests (CCF), Changlang DC Devansh Yadav has reprimanded the DFO.
Earlier, on 11 March, the Deomali CCF had, vide Letter No NFO/IND/54/2017/6355-60, asked the Jairampur DFO to seize all 18-inch band saws within the forest division.
However, the DFO in his response to the CCF on 25 March stated that he was unable to execute the order, citing “pressure from the public.”
In an order issued on Friday, the DC, who is also the chairman of the district-level licensing committee, directed the Jairampur DFO to execute the order issued by his department or face action under Section 188 IPC.
The DC has also suspended renewal of small-scale industries (SSI) in Changlang district till the implementation of the executive order of the southern Arunachal CCF.
In November last year, concerned over the mushrooming of illegal saw/veneer mills and plywood industries, the Changlang district administration had decided to halt issuing of new licenses for use of band saws (with 18-inch saw blades) in the entire district, in order to protect the forests.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the district-level licensing committee for wood-based industries, convened by the DC.
Earlier, a report was submitted by the Nampong forest division and the Changlang deputy director of industries, informing that around seven SSIs and band saw units were found to be functioning without complete documents, and were hence put under lock and key by the authorities.
The proprietors of these seven SSIs had been directed by the administration to obtain valid licenses within 30 days – between 10 November and 10 December – or face administrative action.
As per an official report, there are 16 saw/veneer/plywood mills operating in the entire district. Of the 16, 11 are in Nampong division and five are in Changlang division.
