Arunachal: AdiSU Exposes Night-Time Illegal Timber Trade, Slams Forest Dept for Negligence
Tadeng condemned the inaction of forest officials, claiming that officials in East Siang, Siang, and Upper Siang “are only drawing salaries without fulfilling their duty to protect our forests.”
PASIGHAT ( By Maksam Tayeng )- In a major revelation that has sparked public outrage, the Adi Students’ Union (AdiSU) intercepted seven trucks loaded with 44 illegal timber logs during the night hours of July 22 along the Pasighat-Pangin road, highlighting the failure of forest authorities in East Siang, Siang, and Upper Siang districts to curb illegal logging activities.
Kalen Tadeng, Speaker of AdiSU, along with three other team members, stumbled upon the suspicious trucks around 9:30 PM near Rengging village viewpoint and Okok Resort, en route to Rumgong for an official inspection of an electric line connection project scheduled for the next day.
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“Transporting timber after dusk is clearly illegal,” said Tadeng. “Yet, we saw seven trucks loaded with logs — four from No.3 Tamuk Sawmill (Pasighat) and three more from Rome Sawmill (Mebo). None of the drivers had valid Transit Permits (TP) or Inner Line Permits (ILP). They admitted to transporting logs at night under instructions from sawmill owners.”
Tadeng condemned the inaction of forest officials, claiming that officials in East Siang, Siang, and Upper Siang “are only drawing salaries without fulfilling their duty to protect our forests.” He urged the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the State Forest Minister to act swiftly and initiate stringent action against those involved.
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He further warned that unchecked logging using JCBs and modern machinery is rapidly destroying pristine forests, especially on steep hills once considered inaccessible. This, he said, is contributing to environmental degradation and accelerating global warming.
AdiSU has demanded a full investigation into the operation of sawmills in the Adi belt and across Arunachal Pradesh, and has called on the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, to step in and enforce stricter monitoring mechanisms.
