Digboi: Barely weeks after a devastating blaze at Nazirating, another major fire has broken out in the Noloni Reserve Forest, intensifying concerns over what observers describe as a deepening crisis in the Doomdoma Forest Division.
According to local sources, the fire reportedly began on Tuesday. However, the ranger concerned reached the site only on Friday, nearly 72 hours later. The delay has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups and local organisations, who questioned how a reserve forest could remain exposed during three crucial days.
When contacted, the ranger cited the absence of vehicles, a shortage of chowkidars, manpower constraints and the considerable distance from his office. Critics, however, argued that repeated reliance on logistical limitations points to structural administrative weaknesses rather than isolated difficulties.
This is the second major fire reported in recent weeks. On January 23, a fierce blaze swept through a government reserve forest along the Dibru River near the Nazirating tourist destination. That incident had already exposed what environmentalists termed a fragile emergency response system and inadequate preventive preparedness. Despite the scale of the fire, there has been little evidence of strengthened mitigation measures since then.
The recurrence of another significant blaze has now raised questions about whether lessons were learned.
The latest incident has also revived longstanding allegations of illegal forestry activities in the region. Reports of timber smuggling, illegal earth cutting and unauthorised mining ghats have fuelled public concern that enforcement mechanisms have weakened.
During a visit to the Noloni site on Friday, Jatin Boruah, president of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Juba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), alleged that two mature Hollong trees had been felled by smugglers at No. 2 Noloni. He termed the incident a “glaring instance of negligence”, claiming the trees were cut “under the nose of the forest department”.
Boruah also questioned the implementation of a CAMPA-funded plantation drive in the area. Nearly 10,000 Hollong saplings were reportedly planted under a Rs 20 lakh allocation for the 2024–25 financial year. According to him, many saplings were brought to the site in poor condition, resulting in what he described as a “barely countable survival ratio”.
“When fires erupt, smugglers operate freely and plantations fail, it reflects not coincidence but collapse,” Boruah said, alleging “gross and repeated failure” within the division.
Environmental activist Devajot Moran echoed the concerns, warning that unless “old and deep-seated corrupt officials” within the Doomdoma Forest Division were transferred, the situation was unlikely to improve. He said the matter had been brought to the notice of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, seeking immediate intervention to restore accountability and strengthen forest governance.
Observers noted that taken together — the Nazirating fire, persistent allegations of illegal activities, and now the reported delay in responding to the Noloni blaze, suggests a pattern rather than a routine administrative strain. It points to an erosion of preparedness and oversight in a division entrusted with safeguarding ecologically sensitive forest areas.
Environmentalists cautioned that without decisive corrective measures, repeated fires and unchecked exploitation could result in long-term ecological damage.
With biodiversity under threat and public funds involved, calls are mounting for a high-level inquiry and clearer accountability. As incidents recur and explanations multiply, concerns are growing over whether the Doomdoma Forest Division is losing control of its forests.