Jharkhand CM: Shut all sawmills in 5-km radius of protected forests

RANCHI: Licensed saw mills in Jharkhand will now be required to relocate at least five kilometres away from a protected forest, wildlife sanctuary or a national park, the state government has said.
On Wednesday afternoon, chief minister Hemant Soren gave his approval to the state department of forest, environment and climate change’s proposal to move licensed saw mills from within five kilometre radius of the state’s protected forests.
In a statement, Soren’s office said: “This decision will have a long standing effect on the state’s forests and environment as it will put a leash on the illegal timber trade and result in the conservation of wildlife and ecology of the forests.”
According to department officials, there are over 440 licensed saw mills in Jharkhand. Most of them were established during the days of undivided Bihar.
“Divisional forest officers (DFO) of respective areas are the ones who issue licences to saw mills. So, it will be them who will oversee their relocation,” Paritosh Upadhyay, conservator of forests (headquarters), told TOI on Thursday.