Jharsuguda: Clearing a forest near National Highway-49 here for construction of a hockey stadium without the permission of Forest department has sparked sharp resentment among the local residents, a report said.
The incident has come at a time when the Forest department is sensitising people not to cut trees and work towards protection of forests. However, the forest department has failed to check mindless tree felling as hundreds of trees in a forest have been chopped down illegally for construction of a hockey stadium in this district.
Sources said the district administration had directed to clear a forest opposite PKSS College adjoining NH-49 near Hansamura-Kantapali in Jharsuguda for construction of a hockey stadium. The cutting of trees started Wednesday following which hundreds of valuable trees like Acacia and Eucalyptus have been chopped down. It is alleged that the district administration has ordered clearing of the forest without obtaining the permission of the Forest department.
On being informed, a forest guard Anjali Rath rushed to the spot and seized a JCB machine engaged in tree felling. However, she had to release the machine after the Jharsuguda block development officer (BDO) Prasanna Pandey, who was supervising the operation, intervened. Later, she informed her higher-ups about the illegal tree cutting in the forest.
When contacted, Pradipta Kumar Mohanty, Forest Ranger, said he has not received any application regarding cutting of trees in the forest.
BDO Pandey said that a hockey stadium will be constructed in the area. The tree felling for construction works has started after the District Collector had a discussion with the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), he added.
However, environmentalists have alleged that the district administration has not sought prior permission from the Forest department to cut down the trees, which it is doing in violation of forest norms.
A local environmental outfit Jharsuguda Anchalik Parivesh Suraksha Manch has opposed such illegal tree felling and demanded a high-level inquiry into the irregularities.
Notably, the Revenue department has allotted 40 acre of land adjoining the NH-49 near Hansamura-Kantapali for construction of the hockey stadium. A compound wall is under construction on one part of the land while the rest of the work is yet to begin.
Work has remained halfway since long years. Recently, an additional five acres of the Forest department, opposite of the highway, has been allotted and hundreds of trees have been chopped down to make space for the construction of the stadium.
PNN