In another instance of serious violation inside the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Theni district, the Forest Department has found out that 177 trees have been felled for laying a mud path inside a private estate in the sanctuary.
According to environmental activists in the southern region, the private estate has been felling trees inside its premises for the past three months and the number of trees cut could be around 500 trees. The activists are totally bewildered as to how the sanctuary officials did not even know that felling of trees on such a large scale was happening over several months. Sanctuary officials, however, said that only 177 naturally grown trees were cut in a private estate owned by R. Pasupathi at Bommarajapuram in the core habitat in order to pave a mud path.
Acting on a tip-off, a forest team inspected the spot and confirmed that people in private estate had cut trees. No activity should be taken within the sanctuary without getting prior permission from the Forests Department, said an official.
The estate people had told the sanctuary officials that they laid the path to transport vegetables and agri-produce from the field to the market. “As it is an offence, cases have been filed under the Tamil Nadu Hill Area Prevention Act 1955,” the official said, requesting anonymity. Action would be initiated against the estate owner, the official said, adding that further investigation was on.
Charge against officials
Meanwhile, activists in the region say that successive wildlife wardens, not direct IFS officers, have been found to be quite “insensitive” and “incapable” of managing the sanctuary, also a source of the Vaigai river that runs through three districts, including Madurai city.
According to sources, the earlier wildlife warden was transferred after it was found that he had misled the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by giving wrong facts in the case against widening of the existing road adjoining the sanctuary but one that could endanger the ecology of the protected ecosystem.
Sanctuary officials beg to differ. Despite the acute staff shortage, the Forest Department has intensified surveillance to detect wildlife crimes.
At present, there are only eight anti-poaching staff to monitor the entire sanctuary spread over 64,000 hectares, a sanctuary official said.
