Jharsuguda: The forest department has started an investigation into felling of over a hundred trees to make space for a hockey stadium near NH-49 in Jharsuguda. The stadium will be developed on five acres of land.
Orissa POST had published reports about the felling of trees October 25.
In the wake of media reports, the forest department has started an investigation into the matter.
As for the issue, DFO Lalit Kumar Patra said he had talked to the Collector for development works, but had not given him permission to fell trees for the stadium.
“Nobody has applied for tree felling in the area to carry forward the project,” he said. He added that Jharsuguda BDO had applied to the forest department for permission to remove trees October 11, but he got the application October 26.
“But there was no mention of the specified land where trees will be removed. After I ordered a probe, ranger Pradipta Kumar Mohanty has started an investigation,” he said.
However, BDO Prasanna Pandey had earlier claimed that he had intimated the Collector and the DFO about the need for tree clearing for the hockey stadium.
Lawyer Naresh Nayak said, “Now question arises about the claims and counter claims on the tree felling. If the BDO had applied for permission in this regard October 11, why the forest department has denied such a claim.”
He said pollution level is already high in Jharsuguda. “When there is a need to regenerate forests and plant trees in the district, trees are being cut instead,” he lamented.
Social activist Debananda Barik said a sports hostel will be built on 40 acres of land along the NH49.
It was learnt that 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.
Trees like Acacia and Eucalyptus had been chopped off between October 20 and 22. On being informed, forest guard Anjali Rath rushed to the spot and seized a JCB machine engaged in the tree felling.
However, she released the machine after block development officer (BDO) Prasanna Pandey, who was supervising the operation, intervened. Later, she informed her higher-ups about illegal tree cutting in the forest.
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 protection norms.
Jharsuguda Anchalik Parivesh Suraksha Manch, a local outfit working on environment, opposed such illegal tree-felling and demanded action against those responsible.
Notably, the revenue department has allotted 40 acres 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. Recently, an additional five acres of land belonging to the forest department, opposite of the highway, has been allotted.
PNN