The Kerala Assembly on Tuesday witnessed noisy scenes over the latest mass felling and smuggling of centuries-old rosewood timber from a tribal village in Wayanad district as opposition UDF accused the Left authorities of shielding the culprits and staged a walkout. The opposition requested how the smugglers may ferry the timber price crores from the northern district to a sawmill in Ernakulam in central Kerala amidst the pandemic-induced curbs with out the assist of the authorities.
They additionally repeatedly requested whether or not Forest Minister A Ok Saseendran had any contact with the culprits behind the crime, reportedly accused in a number of different instances, at any stage. Seeking a discover for an adjournment movement over the problem, P T Thomas (Congress) alleged that over 40 instances have been registered thus far in reference to the unlawful tree felling at Muttil village however nobody had been arrested but.
The Forest Department was but to be able to recuperate the smuggled rosewood timber from the accused, he additional charged. Alleging that the culprits had high-profile connections, he additionally reiterated the opposition demand for a High Court-monitored probe into the incident.
Thomas alleged that your complete looting was carried out below the protect of a authorities order, issued by Revenue Principal secretary final 12 months permitting farmers to fell all classes of timber besides sandalwood from their land having title deeds. It was suspected that even the order was issued to facilitate the unlawful felling of rosewood timber, the Thrikkakara MLA added.
Rubbishing the costs, Saseendran stated defending forest sources is the purpose of the federal government. “The authorities won’t ever attempt to defend or assist anybody concerned in looting forest sources. Stringent measures are being taken in the problem,”the minister said, adding that a charge report would be submitted to the court at the earliest after completing the inquiry.
Admitting that the government order was misused for felling the trees illegally, he said a total of 101 rosewood trees, worth around Rs 10 crore in the market, were found missing from the village. He also admitted the opposition charge of lapses on the side of a forest official in Wayanad in the tree felling incident.
Two persons had sought permission to ferry the timber from the village but the department denied nod for the same, the minister said. But, it was later found to be shifted to a sawmill at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam, from where the forest officials recovered the wood and registered a case against the culprits, he added.
As Speaker M B Rajesh refused leave for the motion based on the government reply, the opposition members staged a walkout alleging that looters were thriving in the state with the backing of the administration..
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