THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On a day Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated his stance on illegal tree felling from pattayam land that those who had committed anything wrong would face the consequences, the CPI state leadership summoned the present and previous revenue ministers and former forest minister to the party state committee office to discuss the issue and mount its defences.
Party state secretary Kanam Rajendran on Monday called the meeting of present revenue minister K Rajan and former minister E Chandrasekharan and former forest minister K Raju, who all belong to CPI, as part of fact-checking.
They explained what had happened in their ministries and reiterated their stance that the order issued by the revenue principal secretary was misinterpreted and misused by a section of officials. The meeting also vetted the order allowing cutting of certain categories of trees from pattayam land. The party state council meeting to be held after the lockdown is expected to discuss the issue again.
Later in the evening media briefing, the chief minister said stern action would be initiated against those who had helped fell the trees illegally by misusing the order issued by the state government for helping the farmers.
“The state government is of the view that those who ate salt should drink water. The order was issued by the state government with a view to helping farmers cut trees from pattayam land for their personal purpose. But some persons misused the order and felled trees in large numbers. No leniency will be shown to them, but the state government would act after considering all aspects including the interests of farmers,” he said.
In 2017, when farmers in Idukki raised the issue and sought permission to fell certain categories of trees from pattayam land, a series of meetings were held to discuss the matter and an order was issued. Later, when some issues in the order were pointed out, a clarification was issued. However, when the law department again pointed out lack of clarity, the order was withdrawn, the chief minister said.any documents to show otherwise. Therefore, there was absolutely no substance in the contention that private properties were involved, stated the administration.
PETITION IN HC SEEKING CBI PROBe
Kochi: A petition was filed before the Kerala High Court on Monday seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged illegal felling and smuggling of trees from Wayanad and other districts.
According to petition filed by by P Purushothaman, a social activist residing in New Delhi, the revenue department orders for felling trees was issued with ulterior motives only to benefit the timber traders rather than farmers who had been granted ‘Patta’ lands by the government with a land revenue exemption. The petitioner alleged that a section of revenue and forest officials and politicians of the ruling party are conspiring with the timber mafia for the illegal acts. According to the petitioner, timber worth Rs 100 crore were cut down.