Keonjhar: Acting on a tip-off, Forest department officials here have stopped the laying of slurry pipelines inside Naranpur reserve forest under the Sadar forest range adjoining National Highway-20 in this district following complaints about large-scale irregularities in the work. It has been alleged that the work was damaging forest cover and also affecting the elephant corridor in the locality.
Sources said Sunday that the agency entrusted with the laying of the pipelines has illegally cut a large number of sal and other varieties of trees with machines. They were then burying those trees to cover the damage. Environmentalists have pointed out that the mindless destruction of trees will also affect the growth of other foliage. Sources said that a group of lawyers is preparing to file a petition in this regard before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
After receiving complaints, a team of Forest department officials rushed to the spot and stopped work. They are also probing into the allegations of the destruction of trees. Sources said that pipelines are being laid by industrial plants for the transportation of iron ore from Barbil to Paradip port. Earlier, the Forest department had earmarked the land on which trees could be cut. But the construction agency entrusted with the work is not following the guidelines, it has been alleged.
Environmentalist Pradip Mohanty alleged that the dispute came to light after the construction agency chopped down many large trees without obtaining any prior sanction. The Forest department had also put up a plaque warning people about elephant movement in the area. It had also constructed a cabin to track the movement of the animals. Elephants often cross the highway to move from one side of the forest to the other. The mindless felling of trees also threatens the existence of animals like elephants, bears, wild boars, porcupines, and deer. With the forest covered off, these animals now are at the mercy of poachers. The agency had been asked to build the pipelines within a specific distance from the highway.
After receiving clearance from the Forest department to cut some trees, the agency began laying the pipelines. However, from the very beginning, it started violating rules, sources said. They added that many valuable trees have been unnecessarily cut. They also pointed out that in the haste to build the pipeline the agency has damaged other vital constructions. Among the installations damaged are drinking water pipelines. When contacted, Sadar forest ranger Bijay Kumar Mohanta said that he asked a team to visit the spot where the pipeline was being illegally laid and stop work immediately. He assured that action would be taken if the agency is found to have committed any irregularities.