Bengaluru: Five years after nearly 800 trees were illegally cut in the forests of the highly sensitive Madikeri division, the state government has issued an order stipulating penalty on the deputy conservator of forests (DCF) who issued the felling permit.
M L Manjunath, who was the DCF of Madikeri division between February 2018 and June 2019, was suspended after he gave permission to fell 808 trees in different survey numbers of K Nidugane village of Madikeri taluk.
The department issued a show-cause notice and a charge sheet against Manjunath in November 2019. As the official did not provide a reply, an inquiry was ordered in July 2021. The report submitted to the government in November 2023, upheld the charges.
On August 20, 2024 the government issued an order stipulating penalty for the dereliction of duty. “As the charges are proven, the government shall deduct 5 per cent of the pension for two years from M L Manjunath, deputy conservator of forests (retired),” the order said.
The Karnataka Housing Board had sought to build a residential complex in the area. Activists alleged that forest land was illegally diverted to build a resort. The then chief conservator of forests stalled the felling. However, by that time, 738 trees were cut down.
“However, the land in question was ‘Bane’ land. As all ‘Bane’ areas are statutory forests, use of the same for non-forest purposes requires clearance from the Union government,” the government said, noting that despite clear rules DCF M L Manjunath allowed felling of trees.
Further, the government found that the officer failed to raise objection to the conversion of land for commercial purposes. He also failed to call for a joint survey of the area to determine the land’s status. The permission for felling was issued in a letter instead of the regular order, the government said.
The government also said that during the inquiry, Manjunath failed to explain his action but sought to argue that the land in question was private land. “The statement is unacceptable,” the order said.