Indore Forest Department Seals Sawmill Over Regulatory Violations

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Forest Department sealed a sawmill in Tigriya Badshah on Thursday following an investigation into unauthorized structural modifications at the facility.

The action, conducted under the authority of Divisional Forest Officer Lal Sudhakar Singh, targeted a sawmill owned by Sangeeta Nigam in the Sanwer subrange. A task force led by Forest Range Officer Sangeeta Thakur inspected the site after receiving a complaint that the sawmill’s processing pit had been relocated without mandatory government approval.

Investigators confirmed the license holder altered the unit’s infrastructure in violation of the MP Wood Chopping (Regulation) Rules, 1984. Under state law, any modification to a licensed sawmill requires prior written consent from the Forest Department to ensure regulatory compliance.

Officials registered POR case number 904/1 and immediately moved to shutter the plant. In addition to the closure, the department imposed a fine on Nigam for the regulatory breach.

The enforcement team included acting sub-divisional forest officers Anita Bhandol, Mahesh Songara, and Shyam Gohe, as well as forest officer Suryanarayan Yadav. They were supported by forest guards Vishnu Kale and Aman Malviya, vehicle driver Prakash Boke, and employee Totaram Chauhan.

The facility remains under official seal pending further legal proceedings.