Deogaon: The felling of over 200 trees on private land which was part of Sarasbahal gramya jungle under Kandhakelagaon section in Bolangir district has left the Forest department in a soup. Following media reports, the DFO has taken it seriously and directed the Saintala ranger to look into the matter and submit a report to the department.
Meanwhile, ranger Sanghamitra Bhoi and forester Sushil Puta visited the spot and confirmed cutting of the trees. The land is a patch of the ryot category of land. Villagers had alleged over 200 valuable trees in over three acres had been cut down. However, Saintala forest officials were accused of suppressing the matter. A person, who is said to own the land, had been permitted to cut grass on the land, but he chopped off the trees without taking permission of the ranger. Strangely enough, the Forest department has spent lakhs of rupees on plantation and maintenance of saplings on private land for the last 19 years.
Now, questions are being raised how come the Forest department carried out plantation on the land without having proper knowledge about its ownership. Such a blunder has exposed the carelessness of the Forest department. Given this, who would be responsible for such gross negligence of the department, locals said