The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), on Thursday, burnt the effigy of Assam Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya along National Highway-38 at Margherita in Tinsukia district.
The students’ body was protesting against rise in timber smuggling in Margherita area.
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Kanchan Borah, general secretary of AJYCP’s Tinsukia unit said, “The timber mafias chop down valuable trees in the reserve forests. Then they take the logs to the saw mills in Arunachal Pradesh.”
He added: “Every day, timber-laden trucks plying through Margherita and the Digboi DFO, even after knowing about it, remains a mute spectator.”
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“Due to chopping down of the trees in the reserve forests, the resources have been shrinking. This has been going on under the nose of the forest officials. The corrupt forest officials are hand in glove with the timber mafias and running a nexus,” Borah alleged.
“We urge Assam Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya to take steps against these illegal activities and protect our forest resources. We demand that such illegal activities should be stopped immediately,” the AJYCP said.