Different NGOs working to save Poba rainforest in Assam’s Dhemaji district and valuable trees have questioned the incidents of massive quantities of wooden planks being stacked and loaded in the wagons for transportation to other states from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

According to an NGO functioning in Jonai under Dhemaji district, the forest officials said the planks were those leftover during ongoing road construction in Arunachal Pradesh.

However, the organisation claimed that the quantity is more than what the transit permits allow.

It alleged that when the railway gauge conversion was in progress, the group involved in felling of trees in different forests of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh used to supply the planks through road routes in vehicles.

According to the people of Jonai, 10 wagons out of 32 were filled with timber and kept ready for shipping to New Delhi and south Indian states.

Arunachal Pradesh forest officials said they had issued transit permits to carry about 600cm classified chopped timbers from Pasighat forest division, which has been levied to the Assam forest department.

“We got necessary permission from the Supreme Court and Shillong-based ministry of environment and forests office and higher-ups of the department have inspected the timber. We have also paid levy tax to Assam forest department against the timber and cleared shipping through Assam route,” said Pasighat divisional forest officer Tabang Jamoh.

According to NF railway officials at Murkongselek, the Jonai forest department has so far booked 10 rail wagons out of 32, but he does not rule out possible increase of the figure till Thursday.

The massive destruction of forests of Arunachal Pradesh raised questions based on which the Supreme Court, December 12, 1996, issued an order based on the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, asking the state government to stop felling to preserve bio diversity.

All saw mills, veneer mills and plywood mills stopped functioning in the state and within 100km from the border in parts of Assam.

According to the order, felling of trees in all forests was suspended except in accordance with working plans of state government, as approved by the Centre.

Dhemaji deputy commissioner R.A. Korati told The Telegraph that the surplus timber from Arunachal Pradesh is sent under the order of Supreme Court after verification of the legality of the source of timber.

She added that everything is done by regional office of the ministry of forests and environment in Shillong.

The Assam forest department is involved because the loading station is in Assam.