PRESS RELEASE
TIMBER MAFIA STILL OPERATIVE IN PAURI GARHWAL DESPITE PIL IN SUPREME COURT
JP Dabral of Himalayan Chipko Foundation has filed several PILs in Supreme Court of India exposing the misuse of Hak hakook system and the nexus between the forest department officials and the timber mafia. In two such matters the Ministry of Environment & Forests has confirmed that the nexus exists and the illegal felling of trees does take place in connivance with the Forest Department officials.
JP Dabral has also filed a PIL exposing the illegal felling of about 5000 trees in Joli Danda in Dwarikhal Block, Pauri Garhwal. The PIL was admitted by Supreme Court which directed its Central Empowered Committee to investigate and report on the matter. Uttarakhand Government has not filed its reply for the last two months and has been seeking adjournments because the Forest Department claimed that the official copy which was serviced by the applicant to their Counsel and the Government of Uttarakhand has not been received by them.
Despite this PIL which should have made the Forest Department officials alert and cautious more than 150 trees have been cut in the forests of Joli Danda by the Timber Mafia last week. Villagers on condition of anonymity have said Arjun Singh a known timber mafia don about whom MoEF have also confirmed, has is in connivance with some Forest Ranger who belongs to village Dhaonri in Dwarikhal Block felled the 150 trees through sub-contractors. The Ranger who gets a large chunk of the profit also facilitated the transit of about eight trucks of sleepers from the
We are very confident that permission to cut not more than two or three trees would have been given by the Forest Department to an individual farmer to cut the trees in his
It is not difficult for the Forest Department for the senior Forest Department officials to identify the Ranger and collect the evidence from the villagers and the forests to arrest the contractors and the corrupt Forest Department officials. They must also take action against the personnel who are manning the check posts between Joli Danda and Kotdwar where the trucks had gone.
JP Dabral of Himalayan Chipko Foundation has already written to PCCF and Chief Secretary in Dehradun. If no action is taken then he shall file another PIL in Supreme Court.
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