The opposition Congress in Kerala has called for a comprehensive probe into what could be termed a 'rosewood scandal' which is set to rock the state in the coming days. Congress legislators on Sunday alleged that the CPM-led Kerala government was shielding gangsters involved in mass felling and smuggling of rosewood by some businessmen in Muttil village of Wayanad district.
The district administration has registered a case for theft and cheating over the incident.
T Siddique and I C Balakrishnan, the Congress MLAs from Wayanad district, demanded a comprehensive probe by any agency other than the forest department into the illegal axing of trees.
The opposition party intervened in the issue after mass felling of trees from forest and tribal land came to light recently. Though the issue was reported ahead of the assembly elections, no detailed probe had taken place.
"How can such an order for massive felling of trees be issued? It seems like a money transaction had happened. All the culprits behind this should be exposed," Siddique told reporters after visiting the Muttil area along with Balakrishnan.
"It's not right to entrust the forest department with the investigation. A comprehensive probe should be made by the government using any other agency," he said.
The Congress had recently demanded a High Court-monitored inquiry into the issue.
Meanwhile, locals and tribals from whose land the trees were felled and smuggled said the people behind the act did not even give them the full compensation as promised.
The villagers too alleged that certain government officials were also involved in the matter.
'Plan was to cut 1.5 lakh cubic metre wood'
Hamsa, a wood cutter who has been named as an accused, told Manorama News that those behind the illegal act had planned to fell 1.5 lakh cubic metre of wood in three years. They had already felled 202 cubic metre of wood worth Rs 15 crore.
He said the culprits cheated the land owners and workers by showing them fake permission for felling trees. He said the trees were cut in the presence of officials of forest, vigilance and revenue departments.
Hamsa said he was persuaded by the culprits to give a statement that the district collector was aware of the felling of trees.
A tree-felling contractor said none of the officials objected to the cutting of trees from the forest and tribal land and the accused businessmen managed to show and convince everyone that the documents were real.
Forest Minister A K Saseendran has said stern action would be taken against the culprits. He said investigations by agencies outside the department have been initiated as involvement of forest officials were suspected in the crime.
Admitting that there has been delay in the investigation, the minister said it was because of the code of conduct as part of the Assembly election.
A six-member team of the Forest Department had in February investigated into the case and the Wayanad Collector had suspended a Village Officer in connection with the incident. Revenue Minister K Rajan had also recently instructed the Collector to submit a report on the incident. The environmental activists of Wayanad have since for long been alerting the authorities on widespread timber-smuggling in and around Wayanad reserve forests.
