Timber smuggling case may go to CoD

146 fake permits were used to move woods

On the outset, the involvement of forest department and police department in the illegal transportation of timber has been proved. To bring out the truth, it has been decided to hand over the case to the CoD for further investigation.

MLA Appacchu Ranjan alleged that the forest department is not permitting the land owners to fell the trees grown on their land. About 146 fake permits were used for smuggling timber from the forest.

DCF K S Anand said “the investigation carried out by our staff proved that forest and police department officials are hand in glove with each other. It is better to hand over the case to the CoD.” MLC M C Nanaiah said “the case is not restricted to Virajpet alone. It is rampant in the entire district.”

Road work

MLA M P Appacchu Ranjan said that the state government has released Rs 50 crore special grant to Kodagu to take up road work, of which, Rs 30 crore has been given to the PWD.

Nanaiah said that instead of informing the meeting on the funds released by the government, it is better to inform how many people would be benefited. Reacting to this the MLA said that “the funds have been released depending on the report on bad condition of road submitted by the officials.”

When the PWD official Ravikumar informed that Rs 7.5 crore has been given for developing Virajpet-Madikeri-Somwarpet road, Nanaiah said “the road was laid five to six years ago. Sanctioning such a huge amount shows the poor quality of road work.”

Palemar said that funds have been released for developing the road. The funds should be utilised effectively and quality of work should be taken up.

No permission yet

Ranjan said that he has been submitting application for felling trees grown on his land to the Forest department. However, even after one and half years, the permission has not been received.

He said that he had submitted application in March ,2010. The file kept moving from the forest department to Tahsildar office. Finally, the file has reached Forest department in Bangalore on November 21, for approval.

Fake passport

The issue of getting passport by submitting fake certificates in Kushalanagar police station was also discussed in the meeting. MLA alleged that the police are unnecessarily targeting the poor who submit documents for passport. However, they are issuing passports for those who submit fake documents. Superintendent of Police Manjunath Annigeri said that in connection with submission of fake documents for availing passport, cases have been registered against 17 persons.

Online applications

Food and Civil Supplies Assistant Director Vishwanath said that the government has started the process of issuing new ration cards. The public can apply online for ration cards. The website is http://ahara.kar.nic.in. In rural areas, the public can visit Gram Panchayat to submit the applications. There is no time limit for applying for ration cards.

Ganja

DFO Motappa said that they had found plantation of ganja inside the forests of Makutta. In this regard, he said that the forest guards have been suspended and remanded to judicial custody.

Shortage of doctors

Medical Officer Dr Sathish said that there is shortage of doctors in the district. Of the 82 posts, 35 are lying vacant. As many as nine posts for the doctors are vacant in the district hospital.

Harangi Park

Harangi project Superintendent Engineer Sathyarayana said that the work on proposed park in Harangi area will commence in the month of December. The work will be taken up on 15 acre land at the cost of Rs four crore.

ITDP in-charge officer Rajesh Gowda said that the government has decided to provide nutritious food for the Jenukurubas for six months in a year. Accordingly the food will be supplied from January.