Assam forest cover dwindling

Golaghat, July 11: The forest resources in the state have dwindled during 1994-1999 with valuable forest products, mainly the trees of rare varieties such as, titasopa, lali, bonsom, gamari, gandkoroi etc, felled down illegally by the miscreants who have not only encroached upon the forest lands but also destroyed the forest products. The government enforced laws and several regulations against the felling of trees in the reserve forest areas, but the forest department concerned has been doing nothing against the encroachers and as such as the miscreants have been indulging in illegal timber trade unabated. It has been observed that some of the employees of the Forest Department are involving themselves in felling and selling of valuable trees, along with the miscreants. Now the land area under forests are only 22 per cent instead of 33 per cent.