SILCHAR: The Cachar paper mill in Hailakandi district of southern Assam, non-operational for over nine years, has allegedly become a target for timber smugglers. Forest officials uncovered evidence of illegal tree felling during a recent inspection of the mill campus in Panchgram, following complaints from multiple sources.
Located around 24 km from Silchar town, the mill was the only industry in Barak Valley before it ceased operations in October 2015.
A team led by Panchgram Forest Beat Officer Sabinoy Deb conducted the inspection based on specific complaints and found chopped tree parts on the premises. The seized timber was transported to the Panchgram forest office. During their visit, officials also discovered a newly constructed road through a hilly area, allegedly created by smugglers to facilitate the illegal transportation of wood. An investigation is underway to uncover further details of these activities, sources said.
The role of the Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), which oversees the state’s two shuttered paper mills (Cachar paper mill and Nagaon paper mill), has come under scrutiny. Despite a significant number of workers being present on the mill premises daily, they reportedly remained unaware of the unauthorized tree-cutting activities, raising questions about oversight.
Sources revealed that a portion of the mill’s land has been handed over to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), which has begun clearing jungle-covered areas through a contractor as per government instructions. It is suspected that timber smugglers exploited this clearance process by posing as workers to fell trees for smuggling.
Speaking to EastMojo on Tuesday, Sabinoy Deb confirmed that some trees were illegally cut inside the mill campus after ONGC took over a portion of the land. Miscreants allegedly accessed the site through the back of the mill, where chopped tree parts were found. Deb also mentioned that a newly constructed road at the back of the mill was destroyed during the inspection.
He attributed the lapse to inadequate security measures by the AIDC, asserting that proper oversight would have prevented the construction of the unauthorized road. Regarding valuable trees on the premises, Deb acknowledged the presence of Teak trees but assured that these areas remain secure and untouched by illegal activities.
The mill has been undergoing a clearance process since March this year, reportedly to pave the way for a new industrial setup. Structures, including staff quarters, two schools, a hospital, a community centre, and a market complex, have already been razed. During campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced plans to establish a large industry at the Cachar paper mill site, similar to the semiconductor plant being developed at the Nagaon paper mill in Jagiroad.
The recent discovery of timber smuggling activities has heightened concerns over the security and management of the defunct mill premises, even as efforts to repurpose the site for industrial development continue.
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