TURA, Oct. 9 -- After a hiatus of close to a month, illegal smuggling of timber in the village of Chibinang under Phulbari Police Station in West Garo Hills (WGH) restarted after photos of timber trucks moving through the village in broad daylight surfaced.Incidentally, one of the NGOs fighting against the menace has apparently joined the melee of illegal 'tax' collectors following which the movement of timber restarted just a few days ago.

Chibinang has been home to over a dozen illegal saw mills which have been operational despite half-hearted efforts by the administration to shut them down. The efforts, amounting to nothing more than lip service, has left many questioning the efforts of the forest department, which even has a range of...