Guwahati, June 30 -- Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Tuesday announced a statewide mission to identify, seize and permanently shut down all illegal sawmills operating across the state and warned of taking strict departmental action against officials who fail to act against such illegal operations in their respective jurisdictions.

The Assam Minister said that protecting Assam's forests and biodiversity is a collective responsibility and asserted that the government is committed to preventing illegal logging and safeguarding the state's forest resources.

Following the directions of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Forest Department has instructed all Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs), Range Officers and other field of...