West Bengal Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon has announced surprise inspections and raids across all districts to shut unauthorised sawmills, after forest officials sealed eight units in Malda and Uttar Dinajpur and seized timber, equipment and a vehicle during operations on Tuesday night.
In a video message posted on Facebook, Oraon said forest officials would closely monitor sawmills and carry out surprise visits to verify whether they were operating legally. He warned that any unit found violating the rules would be closed.
The minister said the enforcement drive would cover every district in West Bengal and that no illegal sawmill would be allowed to function. Referring to what he described as the growing “Pushpa Raj” of illegal timber operations in the state, Oraon said the government would bring it to an end.
In Malda, a forest department team led by Divisional Forest Officer Bidisha Basak raided six locations and sealed six sawmills, according to the minister. A large quantity of timber was seized during the operation, along with a vehicle and several pieces of equipment allegedly used at the sawmills.
Forest officials also raided two sawmills in Raiganj in Uttar Dinajpur. The operations were led by the district’s Divisional Forest Officer, and both units were sealed after officials found them operating illegally, Oraon said. The actions in the two districts brought the total number of sealed sawmills to eight.
The announcement places enforcement against unauthorised timber processing at the centre of the state Forest Department’s immediate action. The minister said surprise inspections and raids would continue across West Bengal, while forest officials would monitor sawmills to determine whether they had the required legal permissions to operate.
The latest action also indicates that the department’s enforcement approach will involve inspections at operating sites, seizure of timber and equipment, and closure of units found violating applicable rules. The minister did not provide details in the video message about the quantity of timber seized, the specific violations recorded or any further legal proceedings.
Oraon reiterated that the government was determined to dismantle the network of illegal timber operations in West Bengal. The Forest Department’s next steps, according to the minister, are continued surprise visits and raids across the state, with illegal sawmills facing closure.
