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| Forest Deptt orders enquiry into illegal felling of Khair trees in Pouni | | |  AJAY SHARMA
Early Times Report
REASI, Mar 31: The Forest Department has ordered an enquiry into illegal felling of Khair trees by contractors allegedly in connivance with the officials at Pouni in Reasi district.
Sources told Early Times that some days ago, the department had given permission of cutting Khair trees to contractors but it was found that they also cut the trees from those places where permission was not granted in sheer violations of the rules.
The issue came into light when it was found that contractors had cut trees during night hours in an old forest closure of Social Forestry in Maliad village of Ward No. 3.
The documents in possession of this newspaper reveal that there was no permission to cut Khair trees in the enclosure.
Sources said that there is Forest Check Post at Zero Morh Talwara, which is just 3 kms from the place where illegal felling of trees took place. "A block officer is deputed there despite that illegal felling of trees has taken place," they added.
Sources informed that some people had sent geo tagged photos of the place to Principal Chief Conservator Forest Mohit Gera regarding this issue thereby he directed to constitute a team to find out the facts.
During inspection the team found that there was permission of 80 trees but trees which were cut were more than for what the permission was granted.
As per rules, the Forest Department provides a map of the place from where the trees have to be cut. This map is prepared by the Block Officer and Range Officer.
Sources informed that the senior officer deputed for investigation was misguided by a few employees, who claimed that permission had been granted to cut the trees.
When the investigating officer asked for permission list granted to the people to cut the trees, officials, according to the sources, couldn't furnish anyone's name who had been granted permission to cut the trees from the enclosure.
When Early Times contacted the PCCF Mohit Gera, he said that strict action will be taken against all those persons whose are found involved in the illegal feeling of trees.
The Divisional Forest Officer Reasi, said, "Our teams have reached the spot and probe is on to ascertain how many Khair trees have been cut illegally. I will be submitting the final report to my senior officers soon." |
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