New Delhi, Jul 19 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought responses from authorities, including Kerala's principal chief conservator of forests, regarding the alleged illegal felling and sale of around 273 teak trees to make way for a highway in the state's Chalakudy forest division.
The green body was hearing the matter where it had taken suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report claiming illegal felling of trees along an 18-km stretch from Velliku langara Junction to Vettila pala bridge, and according to the report, the trees were located on private holdings and assigned lands but were axed and sold cheaply to a wood-based industrial firm.
In an order made available recently, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad said that according to the report, while the assistant conservator of forests (social forestry), Thrissur, had assessed the value of the timber at Rs 41.55 lakh, the trees were allegedly sold for just Rs 8.52 lakh.
The tribunal further noted the report regarding a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the Forest Range Officer for transporting the felled trees under the provisions of the Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth in Non-Forest Areas Act 2005.
"However, the Act specifies that a transport pass shall be issued to transport only those trees which are legally felled by the owner of the holding on which they are located. But the Forest Officer, Thrissur Division, has noted the violations, and the matter is under investigation, and it is not clear if the procedures have been followed with regard to cutting of trees and compensatory afforestation done," it said.
The tribunal added that the matter indicates a violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, acknowledging that the news item "raises substantial issues" relating to compliance with the environmental norms.
It impleaded as respondents or parties the state's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's (MoEFCC's) Integrated Regional Office in Bengaluru.
"Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing (on August 31)," the tribunal said.
