Zero Tolerance on Timber Mafia Assam Launches Mission-Mode Crackdown to Shut Down Every Illegal Sawmill Within a Week

Assam Forest and Environment Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah announced a sweeping, statewide enforcement drive to identify, seize, and permanently dismantle all illegal sawmills operating across the state. Initiated under the direct orders of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the campaign aims to halt organized timber smuggling and protect the region’s vulnerable forest reserves. The Forest Department has ordered all Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs), Range Officers, and field personnel to immediately seal unauthorized setups, especially those tucked away in remote, interior areas where illicitly felled trees are covertly processed. To enforce absolute accountability, the minister warned that any field official found with an illegal mill continuing to run under their watch will be held personally responsible and face immediate departmental proceedings.

The campaign targets the entire timber supply chain, expanding regulatory scrutiny to include authorized operators and end consumers. Licensed sawmills will face rigorous field audits to ensure they do not harbor unauthorized machinery, and all log stocks must be verified with valid Transit Passes, GST invoices, and e-Way Bills. Expressing strong concern over organized networks transporting smuggled logs from areas like Goalpara across the Brahmaputra River to locations such as Baghbar, the state is also warning commercial establishments that using undocumented timber will result in direct legal action. To bolster enforcement, the government has set up a confidential helpline (94352-04444) and urged citizens to submit geotagged photos or evidence regarding unauthorized mills or cases of departmental collusion with the timber mafia.