12 nabbed for Chamba tree felling

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 9

The Chamba police yesterday arrested 12 employees of the forest corporation and forest department for facilitating large-scale felling of trees in Chamba forest division in 2014.

DSP Chamba Bir Bahadur Singh has confirmed the arrest of the officials. Sources said all the 12 accused officials, one of whom had retired, were summoned to the Chamba police station on Monday. They were arrested at the police station after interrogation.

Those arrested include nine officials of the HP Forest Corporation and three from the Forest Department. Those arrested are Vakil Ram and Rajinder Singh, both retired officials. Hans Raj, Om Raj, Rajinder Kaul and Tilak Raj are assistant managers of the Forest Corporation. The other arrested employees are Purushotam, Baldev Prasad, Desh Raj, Gehra Ram and Nidhi Ram.

Interestingly, most of the officials arrested are low-ranking officials. Despite the fact that about 1800 green trees were felled, none of senior forest officials has been made a party to the case.

The issue of large scale felling of trees in Almi beat of the Chamba forest division came to limelight during the winter session of Himachal Assembly in 2014. BJP MLA from Dehra, Ravinder Ravi, produced a CD in thel Assembly that allegedly carried photos of large-scale felling of trees in Chamba. The Opposition created a ruckus over the issue and demanded resignation of the Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had assuredthe House that the state government would order an inquiry into matter and none of the culprits would be spared. Congress MLA from Dalhouise Asha Kumari also raised the matter in the House.

The BJP also formed a committee of its legislators under Ravinder Ravi to go to the spot and inquire into illegal felling of trees in Chamba district.

The inquiry report was submitted on July 13, 2015 but the arrested have been made only yesterday night.

Ravinder Ravi, who had taken up the issue in the Assembly, said the arrest of 12 low rank forest officials was an eyewash. The government has resorted to this action as it was expecting protests from the Opposition during the forthcoming winter session of Himachal Assembly.

Since even the government inquiry has admitted that about 1,800 trees were felled illegally the Opposition would demand the resignation of the forest minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri over the issue, he said.