Forester faces action for axing tree in Tamil Nadu

NILGIRIS: Officials of Gudalur Forest Division have decided to take disciplinary action against a forester who engaged labourers and axed a Swietenia mahagoni tree inside the Pitharkadu forest range office recently.

As per the norms, a forester has to get prior permission from Kommu Omkaram who is District Forest Officer (DFO) of Gudalur forest division before axing any trees. In this case, the forester, who was recently promoted from the post of forest guard, was allegedly unaware of the norm and decided to axe the tree as it was decayed and was on the verge of crashing down.

Sources said it was not a sandalwood tree and the forester did not switch off CCTV cameras before axing the tree as reported in some section of media. It was Mahagoni, an exotic tree like eucalyptus and non schedule timber, they said.  

“The CCTV cameras fixed inside the forest office are working well and the few staff who are vexed over the promotion of the forester had spread such misinformation. Actually the forester is not aware of the procedure and we are in the process of taking disciplinary action against him,” said a senior forest department official.