Bishnu Rana

 

TEZU, Sep 27: During a routine patrolling session, a team of forest guards on Friday evening apprehended an Alto car transporting smuggled Khair after a long 35 km chase at the central forest gate area in Namsai.

The vehicle having an Assam registration was loaded with Khair logs and was coming through the Bhekhuliang road when it faced the forest guard patrol. Although it was asked to stop at the Digaru tri-junction, it disobeyed and drove towards the Alubari-Namsai road. The patrolling team then chased the car up to the central forest gate Namsai where it was seized. “When I received the phone call from the forest guard, I rushed towards Namsai and with the help from the Namsai DFO we nabbed the smuggler,” DFO Lohit Division S Manyu informed, adding that despite routine patrolling and vigilance, Khair plantations have been diminishing due to rampant smuggling through the porous borders of Assam. Musanglu Kri and Minam Tayeng, the forest guards and the driver were appreciated by the DFO for their act of bravery.

Khair trees having a high medicinal value with its red part used for making ‘kattha’, a Paan ingredient found on both sides of NH-13 after the Lohit bridge towards Digaru to Tezu are considered as objects of beauty for Lohit district and is a delight for tourists and travellers. 

However, these plantations at Digaru and Paya Ranges towards Roing have become targets for smugglers leading to a gradual wipe-out.