Agartala, July 1:
Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma on Tuesday made serious allegations against a section of forest department officials, accusing them of colluding with timber mafias and contributing to the rampant destruction of forest areas in the state.
Speaking at the 76th State Level Vanamahotsava celebration held at Behalabari in Khowai district under the theme “One Tree, One Life”, Debbarma announced that the department is in the process of collecting evidence to take strong action against those involved.
Highlighting a concerning trend, Debbarma cited a central government survey that revealed Tripura has lost around 100 square kilometers of forest land.
He stressed that combating well-armed timber smugglers is not feasible without paramilitary support and confirmed that Chief Minister Manik Saha has agreed to deploy a battalion of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) for forest protection.
The Forest Minister also pointed to illegal encroachment of forest land for rehabilitation and other purposes as a key factor in shrinking green cover. “To counter this, the state is undertaking extensive afforestation efforts, and over 6.5 lakh saplings have already been planted this year,” he informed.
Addressing media after the event, Debbarma spoke on rising man-animal conflicts, especially involving elephants, and informed that the NHIDCL has been directed to construct dedicated elephant passes along national highways to facilitate safe wildlife movement.
Calling trees the “lungs of the planet,” Debbarma emphasized their role in purifying air, conserving water, preventing soil erosion, and supporting biodiversity.
He praised the indigenous communities for their traditional knowledge and symbiotic relationship with forests, contrasting this with urban-based individuals who are allegedly exploiting forest resources for illegal profits.
To strengthen forest conservation, the minister announced the government’s push for Joint Forest Management involving villagers and tribal youth, complemented by plantation drives and environmental awareness campaigns.
The Vanamahotsava event was also attended by Chief Whip Kalyani Saha Roy, MP Kriti Debi Singh, MLAs Pinaki Das Choudhury and Nirman Biswas, TTAADC Executive Member Ananta Debbarma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) RK Samal, and other senior officials and they also planted saplings on the occasion.
