NORTH LAKHIMPUR: As many as 20 exotic trees in the Kakoi Reserve Forest under North Lakhimpur Forest Range were felled by miscreants coming from the Arunachal Pradesh side of the inter-state boundary.
The incident took place on the night of May 17 when a group of people, armed with chainsaw and other sharp tools went on a tree felling spree in the Zoihing Forest Beat of Kakoi Reserve Forest on the inter-state boundary.
Exotic trees like white teak (Gomari), teak (Segun), Hollock, Chukrasia (Bogee Poma), Camphor tree (Gandhasaroi) were cut down indiscriminately in an area of 12 acres of forest land in Lower Zumi near Sector 16 and 17 of Koilamari Tea Estate in Lakhimpur district.
On May 18, Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner Sumit Sattawan visited the site and took stock of the situation.
He announced the setting up of a forest camp in the area where ten armed personnel of forest battalion would be station.
It may be mentioned that skirmishes across the inter-state boundary in Lakhimpur district has been on rise since the signing of a memorandum between the two Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in New Delhi on April 23 to resolve the long standing border issues.