Truck loads of green bamboos were illegally felled from the forest near Manjavadi Kanavai falling along the eight-lane Salem-Chennai Expressway alignment here. The trees were felled by a timber merchant, who was allocated dried bamboo by the Forest Department.
Activists, farmers alleged link between the clearing of the forest and a potential environment impact assessment for the eight-lane project here.
On Saturday, movement of trucks loaded with the lush green bamboos grabbed the attention of the farmers to the illegally activity inside the forest by the movement of trucks. Farmers and activists had reached the spot, where they found piles of green bamboos cleared from the forest patch that only had green bamboos. The forest department claimed the timber allocation was to clear dried bamboo as part of a GO to prevent forest fires. However, the forest staff failed to monitor allowing the merchant to clear up green bamboos.
This not a question of lack of monitoring by the forest staff, but of active collusion of the forest staff that should be investigated, says activist Piyush Manush. “Why hasn’t there been any arrest? Once one green tree inside the forest is chopped, they should have booked case and put them behind bars.”
The flowering happened in 2015, before Chennai floods and the same timber merchant was allocated to remove the dried bamboos. He had not done the job and was allocated once again. “The allocation is murky,” says Mr. Manush.
According to Arul, convener, movement of farmers opposed to eight-lane expressway, if forest fire was the reason, then they should have cleared the dried bamboos in March and not now, when the rain had started and the forest is green. “When a forest patch is cleared along the eight-lane stone, it is easy to say that there are no trees, when an EIA is done. This is a ploy by the officials,” alleged Arul. “Why is it that we farmers are angered by the loss of forest property, but not the forest department.”
This the second such incident of illegal felling of trees in the area. In August last, the Madras High Court was seized of the incident of illegal felling of 107 trees in Manjavadi Kanavai along the eight-lane project alignment. In its April 2019 order quashing the land acquisition for the project, the court had cited the incident of illegal felling and the lack of action of the officials, forcing the court to order filing of FIR and closely monitor the case.
On Monday, Arul along with farmers of Manjavadi Kanavai petitioned the District Revenue Officer to take action, However no receipt was given since the model code of conduct was in operation.
