PONDA
The illegal felling of 15 ‘Senegalia Catechu' trees, locally known as ‘Khair', at the Codar agriculture farm has left local officers red-faced and likely to face an inquiry, with the Forest department initiating a probe in the matter.
While two persons have been detained in this connection, reliable sources have alleged that the felling could not have taken place without the collusion of government staff at the farm, a charge rejected by the superintendent at Codar farm.
The 15 trees have been valued at over Rs 12,000 and extracts of this wood are used as an ingredient to provide the reddish tinge to tea and ‘Paan' (betel leaf). The extraction process is done along the Goa-Maharashtra border and there is huge demand for this tree.
Deputy Conservator of Forests Kuldeep Sharma confirmed that 15 trees were found cut and two persons from Dodamarg-Maharashtra were detained along with the logs.
The detained persons are identified as Shanker Gawas (48) and Gajanan Gawas (49) from Dodamarg-Maharashtra.
"The RFO and the team have conducted the panchanama of the incident. We cannot directly book an offence under the Preservation of Tree Act as the incident has occurred on government land. But we will send a detailed report to the head of Agriculture Department," Sharma said.
"We have also received a complaint from the officials of Codar farm in connection with trespass," added Sharma.
Sources alleged that some staff at the Codar farm must have colluded with the accused since the trees were felled some time in the last week of July, but no complaint had been immediately filed in the matter.
"It was only when these staff heard that senior forest officials were alerted about the felling of 15 trees, that the staff filed a complaint of trespass and felling of trees," said the source.
A complaint was filed on August 2, while the panchanama was conducted the next day. "Those who cut these trees could not have done so, without the help of some staff at the Codar farm," the source added.
The illegal felling of 15 ‘Senegalia Catechu' trees, locally known as ‘Khair', at the Codar agriculture farm has left local officers red-faced and likely to face an inquiry, with the Forest department initiating a probe in the matter.
While two persons have been detained in this connection, reliable sources have alleged that the felling could not have taken place without the collusion of government staff at the farm, a charge rejected by the superintendent at Codar farm.
The 15 trees have been valued at over Rs 12,000 and extracts of this wood are used as an ingredient to provide the reddish tinge to tea and ‘Paan' (betel leaf). The extraction process is done along the Goa-Maharashtra border and there is huge demand for this tree.
Deputy Conservator of Forests Kuldeep Sharma confirmed that 15 trees were found cut and two persons from Dodamarg-Maharashtra were detained along with the logs.
The detained persons are identified as Shanker Gawas (48) and Gajanan Gawas (49) from Dodamarg-Maharashtra.
"The RFO and the team have conducted the panchanama of the incident. We cannot directly book an offence under the Preservation of Tree Act as the incident has occurred on government land. But we will send a detailed report to the head of Agriculture Department," Sharma said.
"We have also received a complaint from the officials of Codar farm in connection with trespass," added Sharma.
Sources alleged that some staff at the Codar farm must have colluded with the accused since the trees were felled some time in the last week of July, but no complaint had been immediately filed in the matter.
"It was only when these staff heard that senior forest officials were alerted about the felling of 15 trees, that the staff filed a complaint of trespass and felling of trees," said the source.
A complaint was filed on August 2, while the panchanama was conducted the next day. "Those who cut these trees could not have done so, without the help of some staff at the Codar farm," the source added.
