HYDERABAD: The Telangana forest department imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh on real estate developer The Vasavi Group, for chopping down trees without obtaining consent from the forest department as per due procedure. In a press release on Monday, it said that the department had registered a case under the Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA) against the real estate developer.
The desforestation was caused at Bomraspet, near Shameerpet, where The Vasavi Group is constructing its new project ‘Vasavi Green Leaf’. Investigation into the illegality was taken up by the Forest Range Officer, Afroze.
The action was taken by the forest department within 10 days of registering the case. Investigation had revealed that the real estate developer had cut down hundreds of huge trees without obtaining the necessary permissions. The forest department said it will also get the company to plant a large number of saplings.