Illegal Khayer Business Destroying Forests In Dhemaji? Locals Raise Concern

The lucrative but illicit trade of Khayer (Senegalia catechu) continues unabated across several parts of Upper Assam, particularly in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, with alleged forest mafia networks plundering protected areas under the very nose of enforcement agencies.

Reportedly, the Forest Department’s Land Conservation Division had earlier planted a huge number of Khayer saplings along the banks of the Subansiri River. However, local sources allege that organised smugglers have been systematically felling these valuable trees and running a well-oiled trafficking operation, leading to widespread forest destruction.

Khayer (Senegalia catechu) highly sought after in international markets for its medicinal, ornamental, and industrial value, is reportedly being smuggled out of Assam in massive quantities. The felled logs, worth lakhs of rupees, are allegedly transported both by boats along the Subansiri and by vehicles at night.

Residents claim that despite repeated complaints, the illegal trade has not only persisted but grown bolder. 

Alarmingly, the Subansiri Reserve Forest, once home to dense and ecologically rich vegetation, is said to be rapidly shrinking due to the activities of these timber syndicates. Conservationists warn that if the current rate of illegal logging continues, the forest could vanish from the map entirely.

Local organisations had earlier alerted the Forest Department about the growing threat, but activists accuse officials of turning a blind eye, describing their approach as "wilfully ignorant".

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