Environmental organisations in Wayanad district have alleged that Revenue and Forest departments are jointly trying to sabotage the Muttil rosewood tree felling case.
Though two years have passed after the government constituted a special team to investigate the massive felling of precious woods in various parts of the State, especially in Wayanad, the investigation was yet to be completed, N. Badusha, president, Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshna Samiti, said.
The recent DNA test on the axed trees proved that they were centuries old contrary to the claim of the accused that the trees were planted by farmers after getting pattayam, Mr. Badusha said.
Moreover, forensic evidence also revealed that the trees had been cut down after furnishing forged documents on behalf of tribal and marginal farmers. He alleged that the government was supporting the accused by not submitting chargesheets against them.
Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran’s statement on Tuesday that the government would take stern action against the accused was just an eyewash, Mr. Badusha said. Though the DNA test report on the rosewood trees axed from private land in Muttil village was released recently, the government failed to even take the axed rosewood and teak trees into custody, he alleged.
“The lobby had misused an outdated government order [GO] issued on March 11, 2020, which had given full right to farmers to cut all reserved trees except sandalwood trees on the assigned land. The lobby succeeded in exploiting the farming community in the area cleverly by using the order,” Mr. Badusha said.
Obscurity in the second order issued by the former Revenue Secretary on October 24, 2020, also helped the lobby cheat farmers, he added.
The investigation team was yet to probe the conspiracy behind the unlawful and surprising circular. There was no coordination between the ongoing investigations by Revenue and Forest departments, he alleged.
