Several trees felled as forest department clueless

The illegal chopping and transportation of trees from the mangrove forest has come to limelight at Nagarahalli and Thimmanhalli in Kalasapura limits. The landlords illegal act of encroaching the government land has continued without any hurdles. It appears as if the Forest Department and Revenue Department officers are yet to wake up from the deep slumber.

Some of the influential persons who have eyed on 240 hectares of the forest land in survey no. 167, 168 and 169 have chopped thousands of trees, built small houses there and have started ploughing the land.

The forest land which is adjacent to Kalasapura reserve forest, shelters various wild animals including tiger, leopard, wild boar, deer and peacocks. It is alleged that the forest has become the victim of a local MLA and his two supporters. Though the forest is destroyed amass in the last 15 days and the government land is encroached, none of the Forest Department officers have visited the spot for inspection. The villagers have alleged the Deputy Commissioner of not trying to stop land acquisition.

“Though the Forest Committee was formed seven years ago, over 20 influential persons in Nagarahalli and Thimmanahalli are involved in chopping and transporting the trees in the broad day light. A wide variety of trees like sandalwood, avenue, eucalyptus, blue berry, neem and bamboo have been cleared off from the forest. The culprits have not even spared the trees that were planted last year.

The encroachers have encroached the land under forum no. 53 a long back and have started cultivation. Now they have placed a step ahead to encroach even gomala and mangrove forest. Protest will be staged by blocking the road on Friday, demanding the administration to stop the encroachment and retain the forest as it is,” Village Forest Committee President Gangappa and Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Taluk Secretary T A Manjunath informed Deccan Herald.

On the other hand, DCF Venkatesh said that he was not aware of the destruction of the forest and land encroachment. He would visit the place and then take the decision.