DHAKA: The government is going to take stern action against 30,000 sawmills set up illegally across the country.

According to the Forest Department, there are some 40,000 sawmills in the country, of which 30,000 were set up illegally.

The Environment Ministry on July 27 sent a letter to the Chief Conservator of Forest to take legal action against the illegal sawmills.  

The Forest Department has also asked the field level officers to take initiatives in this regard as per advice from the Environment and Forest Ministry.

A top official of the Ministry said they were concerned over the illegal sawmills, which were set up violating the Forest and Environment Act.  

“We believe unauthorised sawmills are no less responsible for deforestation,” said an official.

The sawmill owners have been running the brisk business for years using their influence in the forest area.  

According to government’s policy, a sawmill could not be set up within 10 kilometer areas of the forest land.

But, timber traders, violating the policy, set up a good number of sawmills adjacent to forest areas in Gazipur, Sylhet, Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracks.

BDST: 1610 HRS, JULY 30, 2010