The Adi Students’ Union (AdiSU) has uncovered what it calls a rampant illegal timber smuggling racket operating across the districts of East Siang, Siang, and Upper Siang in Arunachal Pradesh. The union has alleged complete inaction on the part of the forest department, accusing senior officials of turning a blind eye while the state’s rich forest cover is rapidly disappearing.
On the night of July 22, around 9:30 pm, AdiSU members intercepted seven timber-laden trucks moving near Rengging village view-point and Okok Resort on the Pasighat-Pangin road. The trucks, headed toward Pasighat, were reportedly carrying a total of 44 timber logs. According to AdiSU Speaker Kalen Tadeng, the union members were en route to Rumgong for a site visit linked to a power project when they spotted the suspicious vehicles.
“What shocked us was the timing. It is well known that timber transport after dark is illegal, yet these trucks were moving freely without any fear,” said Tadeng. The team stopped the trucks and questioned the drivers. Four of the trucks were allegedly connected to No.3 Tamuk Sawmill in Pasighat, while the remaining three were linked to Rome Sawmill in Mebo. The timber, the drivers claimed, was sourced from the Lelek diversion area near Rottung in Siang district.
Crucially, none of the drivers could produce valid timber permits (TPs) or inner line permits (ILPs). This confirmed to the student union that the operation was illegal and planned to evade detection. “The drivers openly admitted that the sawmill owners instructed them to travel at night to avoid forest department checks,” Tadeng said.
AdiSU has lashed out at the forest departments of East Siang, Siang, and Upper Siang districts, accusing officials ranging from Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) to Range Forest Officers (RFOs) of complete failure. “No one is monitoring these trucks. The department is silent. This shows the poor credibility and negligence of the officials,” Tadeng said. “They seem more interested in drawing salaries than doing their duty.”
The student body is now demanding immediate intervention from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the state’s Environment and Forest Minister, and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). AdiSU has asked for tighter controls on sawmill operations, stricter enforcement of forest protection laws, and accountability from local officials.
The union warned that previously untouched forests in steep and remote areas are now being rapidly cleared using heavy machinery like JCBs. “These places were once safe because of their terrain. But now with machines, no forest is safe,” Tadeng added. AdiSU linked this rampant deforestation to increasing environmental degradation and climate-related threats.
