TURA, Sept 3 - West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya has been plagued by wanton tree felling with no authority able to control the menace. The lack of DFO Territorial has complicated things even further.
It is believed the district has more than 500 illegal saw mills most of which are in plain sight and near the highway. �There is no control as the Syiemship in the area has allowed cutting of trees, most of which find their way to Assam through Boko.
To add to the problem, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has done literally nothing to stop this menace with most of the saw mills getting permission to run as they want,� said a source.
WKH deputy commissioner too rued the lack of control stating that with the lands falling under legal pattas, there was little the district administration could do to control deforestation or the movement of timber. President of Centre for Environment Protection and Rural Development (CEPARD), Samgar R Sangma has urged the State Government to control the menace immediately.
