Tree-felling: 4 officials suspended, Pratap Simha’s brother ‘absconding’

Action follows report by PCCF; glaring lapses detected

Bengaluru: The Forest Department on Thursday suspended four officials over illegal felling of trees in Hassan with a report stating that Vikram Simha, brother of Mysore MP Pratap Simha, escaped from the spot and was absconding.

The suspended officers include Assistant Conservator of Forest Prabhugouda Biradar, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Vinay Kumar, Deputy RFO Gururaj D Deputy and forest guard Raghukumar H B. The action follows a report by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Head of Forest Force).

On December 16,  Belur tahsildar Mamata alerted the Forest Department that trees were felled illegally in survey number 16, Nandagondanahalli, Belur taluk and alerted the Forest Department. The forest department had registered an FIR against one Jayamma and others. However, many activists had pointed out that an influential person was left out due to political pressure.

The PCCF got a report from the Deputy Conservator of Forest of Hassan D Mohan Kumar which said the area comprised gomala and private land. Along with the FIR was an agreement between Vikram Simaha and Jayamma to lease 3 acre 10 gunta of land for cultivating ginger.

Vikram ran away

However, the Belur tahsildar on December 21 clarified that Jayamma was not owner of the land in question though the government had granted or regularised the land for some beneficiaries.

"The DCF has reported that 126 trees were felled illegally for growing ginger. Forest and police officers tried to get a statement from Vikram Simha and visited Beeradahalli in Sakleshpur taluk at 1.30 pm on December 25. However, the DCF states that Vikram Sinha had run away from the spot and continues to abscond," the APCF reported.

Glaring lapses

Of the 40 acre 35 gunta government land in survey number 16, as many as 12 acres had valuable trees, including Nandi, Honne, Hebbalasu, mango and others.

The revenue officials visited the RFO office to provide the mahazar report but the same was rejected. The tahsildar took the GPS tagged photos and wrote an email to the RFO and sent the hard copies of the same.

"It is clear that though 126 trees were cut down, officials had failed to stop the felling and later failed to collect information on the same. The range officers have failed in their work of protection of trees. Moreover, no action has been taken against any of the officers 12 days after the incident," the PCCF report said, recommending action against Hassan Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) Mohan Kumar D.

Sources in the Forest Department said a file has been moved for further action against the DCF, as the chief minister has to approve the suspension of the IFS officer.