Hundreds of fully grown and commercially important trees have been axed by thieves in the Dandeli-Anshi and Bandipur tiger reserves in Karnataka.
Sources indicated a nexus between the forest department officials and local politicians in the Kulgi range of the Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve. In Bandipur, eyewitnesses pointed to the involvement of a forest watcher in the racket.
According to sources, a forest guard stationed in the Kulgi beat, Kulgi range, (now promoted and posted as DRFO, Zamga section) had given a free hand to this mass plundering of fecund forests between September 2012 and December 2012).
More than 100 trees, including commercially important species like teak (Tectona grandis), kindal (Terminalia paniculata) were illegally felled in the Kulgi range within the tourism zone.
Local residents who have seen this happen have questioned the accountability of the forest department when the one who is responsible for protecting the forests is himself indulging in nefarious activities.
Stumps of felled trees have been marked with fake seals in order to avoid scrutiny and to shift the blame.
As recently as January this year, another tree was felled at Audit 3 in the Kulgi range in the Dandeli tiger reserve. This too was hushed up for unknown reasons. The axing of trees is in gross violation of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976, and various other laws.
Interestingly, the incident has occurred in a tiger reserve close to the divisional headquarters, just 10 km away, and right under the nose of some forest department staffers.
In Bandipur, six fully grown teak trees were felled on Thursday night in Maddur range adjacent to the office of the range forest officer. The fellings are the first such in recent years in the vicinity. Though the forest staff say wood was openly transported to the house of the forest watcher, no action has been taken against him, nor any inquiry ordered.
When contacted, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife warden Dipak Sarmah said he would direct the officials concerned to look into the matter.