Guwahati: Forest and environment minister Jayanta Mallabaruah has announced a statewide drive to identify, seize and permanently shut down illegal sawmills, warning of strict action against officials who fail to stop such operations in their jurisdictions.He said the govt is committed to protecting Assam’s forests and biodiversity by preventing illegal logging and conserving forest resources.Following CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s directions, the forest department has instructed all divisional forest officers (DFOs), range officers and field staff to launch an intensive enforcement drive across every forest division.“The operation has already begun. Officials have been directed to identify, seize and shut down illegal sawmills, particularly those operating in remote and interior areas where illegally felled timber is often processed,” he said.The minister said every illegal sawmill must be seized immediately and all illegally stored timber confiscated. Officials have been instructed to submit geo-tagged photographs and detailed division-wise and range-wise daily reports on action taken.Licensed sawmills will also face rigorous inspections to ensure operations remain within the limits of approved licences. Officials have been directed to verify that no unauthorised machinery has been installed and that timber stocks are backed by valid Transit Passes (TPs), GST invoices, e-Way Bills and other mandatory documents.He warned that any range officer or DFO in whose jurisdiction illegal sawmills continue to operate will be held personally accountable and face departmental proceedings.“We have launched this drive in mission mode. Our objective is to ensure that every illegal sawmill across Assam is shut down within the coming week,” the minister said.Expressing concern over reports of illegal timber transport from forest areas — particularly from Goalpara across the Brahmaputra to remote locations such as Baghbar — Baruah said the govt would not allow organised forest destruction to continue.Seeking public participation, he appealed to citizens to report illegal sawmills and share photographs or other evidence. He announced a dedicated helpline number, 04444 , through which information can be shared confidentially. He also urged people to report any collusion between officials and illegal sawmill operators, assuring strict action.Reiterating the govt’s commitment to protecting Assam’s forests, Baruah sought the cooperation of departmental officials and the public to make the statewide campaign against illegal sawmills successful.
