Kokrajhar, June 12: Assam forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma today visited Nayekgaon forest range in Kokrajhar to understand the ground situation where destruction of forest has threatened the existence of the endangered golden langur.

Pramila Rani, accompanied by local residents and mediapersons, visited the site, which is on the northern side of Chakrasila wildlife sanctuary. She rebuked the forest officials for not taking their work seriously and asked them to be dutiful.

She said strong measures would be taken against timber smugglers and encroachers. She said she would personally discuss action needed to be taken to tackle the situation in the BTAD with BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary.

Pramila Rani's surprise visit came after the media reported about sal trees inside the forest being felled every day and ferried in tractors and bullock carts under the very nose of the forest department, a few metres from the Nayekgaon forest range office. Over 2,000 sal trees were felled in the last couple of months. Forest department officials expressed helplessness in protecting the forest wealth.

The Nayekgaon forest range, which is on the northern side of the Chakrasila wildlife sanctuary, is home to hundreds of golden langur, a Schedule I animal under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, that is found only in this part of the region.

Forest officials have expressed helplessness saying they don't have the required staff or equipment to tackle the smugglers.

Fakiruddin Ahmed, the forest range officer had stated that the department officials cannot do anything unless enough manpower and sophisticated arms are given to them. Environmentalists have urged the BTC and the Assam government to make necessary arrangements to check the unabated felling of trees inside the sanctuary.