Felling of trees in plantation flayed

Of late, it has come to light that the district administration has ordered a private person to cut the trees of a plantation belonging to the Forest Department.

The district administration’s move of allotting the 8.25 acre land coming under survey number 535 in Hiremagalur village to the Rifle and Shoot Gun Association (Rifle Club) has kicked off a new controversy.

The Forest Department has developed a plantation in this region since 1985. Deputy Commissioner R Narayanaswamy has ordered for cutting of the trees on January 25. Now, the question of the environmental organisations in the district is whether the DC has the power to order to cut the trees planted by the Forest Department.

The officials of the Forest Department have arrested the contractor for cutting the trees without bringing the same to the department’s notice. A case has also been registered. The district administration has also allotted 20 acre for the CMC for waste disposal, 8.20 acre for constructing truck terminal, 4 acre for the Water Supply and Sewage Board, 5 acre for Guru Siddarameshwara Educational Institute, 5 acre for Indian Medical Association under the same survey number.

All these places come under the limits of Kadrimidri and Tegur plantations. Wildcat C representative Sridev Hulikere and D V Girish of Bhadra Wildlife Guild have stated that the step will affect birds and animals in the region.

They have condemned the move of the district administration of sanctioning land to private individuals and organisations without bringing the same to the notice of the Forest Department. “The orders should be withdrawn immediately, or else it would be inevitable to take legal steps,” they warned.