The Hindu : Front Page : State concedes illegal felling of trees

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Friday, Dec 23, 2005

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State concedes illegal felling of trees

Mohamed Imranullah S.

Assures stringent action against perpetrators and officials

MADURAI: The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Y. Sukhdev, has conceded the complaint of illegal felling of trees in Sirumalai hills in Dindigul district. This submission was made in a counter affidavit filed in reply to a public interest litigation before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday.

The PCCF said the lands in the hills were classified into four categories: reserved forest, reserved lands (yet to be declared as reserved forests), revenue lands (such as assessed waste, unassessed waste and poromboke lands) and patta lands (owned by private individuals).

While 3187 hectares were declared as reserved forest, a proposal to declare 7528.875 hectares of reserved land as reserved forests was pending with the Government.

Claiming that the reserved forest was free from any illegal felling of trees, the official said that there were a few instances of unauthorised felling in the other categories of lands.

Pointing out that the reserved forest and reserved lands were under the control of the Forest department, he said a district committee headed by the Collector had to grant permission for felling trees in private lands.

A total of 1666 trees in patta lands were felled unauthorisedly in Sirumalai and Kannivadi hills and the issue had been brought to the notice of the district committee for necessary permission for prosecuting the offenders. Moreover, a Forester, two forest guards and Forest Watcher had been transferred for failing to protect the felling and disciplinary action initiated against six other officials, Mr. Sukhdev added.

As far as reserved lands were concerned, 43 miscellaneous trees totally measuring 6.26 cubic metres of timber had been felled for which the district officer was instructed to take necessary action against erring staff.

There was one case of illegal felling in revenue land and Revenue authorities alone were responsible for protection of these lands, the PCCF said.

Since many of the private owners had encroached the reserved lands, the Forest department had addressed the Collector to provide necessary assistance of Revenue officials and surveyors to demarcate and fix the boundaries.

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