KOZHIKODE: The illegal felling of rosewood trees worth Rs 12 crore at Muttil in Wayanad has exposed the powerful nexus of timber lobby, forest and revenue departments in the state. Seizure of 14 cubic metres of rosewood from Perumbavoor by Meppadi Range Officer (RO) has not only unearthed illegal felling of 101 protected trees but also triggered an intense fight within the forest department.
101 trees worth Rs 12 crore cut
101 rosewood trees were cut from the land of 43 persons, including tribals, in Muttil South village by misleading land owners with a new government circular. The circular issued by Revenue Principal Secretary on October 24, 2020, gave permission for the assigned land owners to cut protected trees, either grown by them or grown naturally, from their assigned land, except sandalwood.
These lands were distributed to the people as pattaya land as per the Kerala Land Assignment Rules 1964. Based on this order, revenue officials had given consent, and the timber lobby cut rosewood trees and collected 201 cubic metres of timber worth Rs 12 crore. Of these, 14 cubic metres was sent to a timber merchant in Perumbavoor after the consignment passed through several check posts. When the timber merchant in Perumbavoor, who bought the timber didn’t find supporting documents, he smelt foul play and informed forest officials which unearthed the corruption.
Greens created a huge protest in Wayanad following which the government cancelled the controversial circular. Meppadi RO recovered the transported timber from Perumbavoor and the rest from the land site. “On further probe, it was found that the timber was transported through malpractice. Property registration is mandatory for timber transportation but all papers were fabricated in haste violating existing guidelines. The main accused was earlier blacklisted by the department for malpractice,” said a forest officer.
Infighting among forest officers
Meanwhile, the main accused and kingpin of the timber lobby has threatened the Meppadi RO with dire consequences. A senior officer in Kozhikode social forestry division was used by the timber lobby for the purpose. When this officer was posted as temporary in-charge of Vigilance Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) for a few days, a probe was initiated against Meppadi RO in another incident. It is alleged that the said officer travelled in the vehicle of the accused to prepare a report against the RO.
The findings against RO was that he permitted illegal cutting of protected trees from another spot at Muttil Malavaram. Sources said that the charge was a distorted one, and the issue was handled by former Meppadi RO. The present RO had joined in January only. Meanwhile, Northern Range CCF swung into action and reported against the Kozhikode social forestry officer for nailing the range officer who stood to protect forest rights.
Circular contravenes forest laws
Sources said that the circular contravenes two forest laws--Promotion of Tree Growth in Non-forest Areas Act, 2005 and Kerala Forest (Prohibition of felling of trees standing on land temporarily or permanently assigned) Rules, 1995. So far, 43 cases have been charged by forest department in the tree-felling incident, naming more than 70 people as accused. But no arrest has been made so far. Three powerful persons, who are brothers, are the main accused in the case. Till now, only a revenue employee has been transferred for issuing a no-objection certificate for tree cutting. Meanwhile, the district collector had submitted a report to revenue minister on the tree felling.
68, mostly tribal residents, booked in case
Kalpetta: Meenangadi police have registered a case against 68 people in connection with the illegal felling of trees at Muttil village in Wayanad. The police also visited the various spots where the tree felling took place. “Currently, 68 people have been booked on charges of theft under IPC 379 based on a complaint filed by the Kalpetta Land Acquisition tahsildar. All the accused are owners of the leased land, many of whom are residents of tribal colonies. We are probing more documents with the help of Forest and Revenue departments. A new team will be formed to probe this case,” said Sultan Bathery DySP Benny.