Tripura Forest Dept. to form a dedicated intelligence wing to tackle deforestation, timber smuggling, and poaching. Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma also seeks TSR deployment and promotes mass plantation drives to restore forest cover in the state, where forests cover nearly 62% of the land.
In a decisive move to combat deforestation and curb illegal activities related to forest resources, the Tripura Forest Department has announced plans to establish a dedicated intelligence wing. Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma made this announcement on Thursday, citing the alarming rise in illegal tree felling, timber smuggling, and encroachments across the state’s forested regions.
Initially, personnel from the Tripura Police will be deployed to staff the new intelligence division. Over time, the Forest Department intends to recruit its own personnel specifically trained for intelligence operations. The goal, according to Minister Debbarma, is to strengthen internal monitoring systems and ensure swift action against forest crimes.
To bolster forest protection efforts further, the Minister has requested Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha to assign a significant number of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel to work under the Forest Department. The elite TSR, trained in counter-insurgency operations, will provide additional security and operational support to forest officials.
“The current situation in our forest areas is extremely concerning. Forest guards and officials are struggling to deal with increasing incidents of smuggling, poaching, and illegal human activity in protected zones,” Debbarma said. Highlighting that nearly 62 percent of Tripura’s landmass is forested, he emphasized the urgent need for protective measures.
On Wednesday, during a ceremony at the Tripura State Forest Academy in Hatipara, the Minister handed over 58 motorcycles to range officials to improve mobility and enforcement capabilities across difficult terrain. He stressed that environmental conservation must be prioritized over unchecked development.
“Protecting forests is essential for protecting human life. True development must revolve around conservation, not deforestation,” Debbarma remarked. He questioned the necessity of widening national highways that have already led to the felling of over 11,000 trees since January 2022, even though the government secured the necessary environmental clearances from the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The Minister also recalled the mass plantation drive launched by Chief Minister Saha on July 5 last year, where over five lakh saplings were planted in five minutes. Ahead of the event, the Forest Department distributed more than seven lakh saplings to students, clubs, banks, and security forces. Debbarma confirmed that the tree-planting campaign would continue during the upcoming monsoon season and beyond.
