CANACONA
Stepping up pressure on the issue of felling trees and processing of logs at the Carpentry Common Facility-cum-Production Centre in Loliem, the Swabhimani Jagrut Canconkars (SJC) visited the centre and later confronted Canacona Range Forest Officer Anand Mestri on Friday.
Amid allegations by SJC members that the documents submitted were all fake and manipulated, Mestri is reported to have assured them that appropriate action would be taken and action would be taken against those responsible.
Mestri reportedly informed the SJC members that 9.91 cubic metres of wood (IIIrd class) had been transported from Mone (Gaondongrin) to the carpentry unit at Idhar-Loliem even before completing the formalities for the auction held on April 19.
“Mestri told us that when he learnt that the logs were transported before completion of formalities, he stopped the carpentry unit from processing these logs and only after the money is paid and receipt was taken on April 24, the logs were allowed to be processed at the carpentry unit,” said one SJC member.
The SJC members asked the RFO to stop further movement of processed wood from carpentry unit and to order an enquiry into the source of all logs brought in five truckloads at the carpentry unit.
They also demanded an enquiry into the involvement of forest officers in this matter.
The SJC alleged there were several loopholes and irregularities in the auction conducted by the forest officers.
The RFO informed that in one truck with approximately 4.5 cubic metres of wood can be transported at a time, adding that the 9.91 cubic metres of wood consisting of approximately 17 logs were auctioned for Rs 38,500 and were transported in two trucks.
The SJC members, however, claimed there were 5 truckloads of wood, but the RFO suggested that the other logs could have been from a different party.
The SJC then requested the RFO for a joint inspection of the processed and unprocessed logs at the carpentery unit.
Those present at the meeting with the RFO included Sandeesh Telekar, Pandurang Naik Gaunkjar, Shantaji Naikgaunkar, Prashant Naik, Jack Fernandes, Vaishnav Pednekar, Gaspar Coutinho and Dhiraj Kankonkar.
