SHOCKING: Large-scale illegal tree felling, encroachment in tiger corridor in Bhopal

Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: Large-scale illegal tree felling is taking place in a large tract in Kerwa in Bhopal, which is a marked tiger corridor with regular tiger movement.

There are reports that multitude of trees are being cut stealthily in the forest near Sanskaar Valley Public School, over the last couple of days.

This is likely to have detrimental effect on tiger movement in the area, which is very sensitive, experts have said.

The land on which tree-felling is being carried is part revenue forest and part forestland. 

Apart from trees being cut, fencing is also taking place on the adjoining land and this fencing is part encroaching on forestland.

The illegal tree felling in the State capital was going on for the last few days. Labourers were being spotted going to the area throughout the last week,reports by local media said. 

Sources suggest that such large-scale tree felling is not possible (that too in Bhopal) without the complicity of certain forest officials. The fencing on the adjoining land also suggests attempts to seize the government land. 

The fencing is being done at around 20 acres of land in the forest near Kerwa Dam. The entire area includes revenue land as well as forest land. Strangely, there was no attempt to stop the activities.

Activist Ajay Dubey, who has filed a petition in MP High Court to protect non-forest activities in the tiger corridor in Kerwa-Kaliasot area said that such tree felling in the corridor would be highly detrimental to tiger movement.

He said that the area from where tree felling was reported suggested that certain influential people were trying to protect their properties/commercial interests from tiger scare in the area.

Dubey said that two years ago, the state forest department had proposed the area to be converted into conservation reserve unit (for tiger protection) and had demanded that the revenue forest land adjacent to forestland in area be handed over to forest department.

The activist said that a rejoineder would be filed in High Court under the ongoing petition to bring the illegal tree felling in notice. Also he demanded a high-level inquiry into the illegal activity. [Photo courtesy: Patrika Hindi newspaper]