Digboi: An 18-wheeler truck carrying 80 pieces of timber was intercepted at Tingrai under the Doomdooma Forest Division, raising concerns over forest governance in Assam.
The consignment, reportedly originating near the Assam-Arunachal border, lacked required documentation, pointing to lapses in regulatory oversight.
The timber-laden truck passed through multiple forest ranges, police checkpoints, and transport enforcement points before reaching Digboi undetected. This incident has, once again, brought attention to the growing reliance on Gaonbura certificates to legalise timber felling and transport.
The lapse is not limited to the forest department, as the vehicle owner failed to renew vehicle documents, raising simultaneous questions about enforcement by the Transport Department and Motor Vehicle Inspectorate.
Local youths and wildlife activists have long flagged this route for timber movement, deepening public scepticism.
The Doomdooma Forest Division has taken the truck and timber into custody for further investigation, verifying the origin, validity of documents, and compliance with transit regulations.