The row over the illegal felling of rosewood trees from revenue land allotted to farmers got a fresh twist with investigators getting hints of pressure exerted by some quarters in the former revenue minister E Chandrasekharan’s office.
The controversial order passed in October 2020, facilitated illegal felling of rosewood trees, the opposition had alleged in the assembly, raising a furore.
The state government has set up a special investigation team to probe the illegal felling of protected trees by timber traders, with the connivance of some officials.
Cloud of suspicion
Indications the Principal Secretary (Revenue) had objected to the issuance of the order before the Under Secretary forwarded the relevant file to the minister, have emerged.
The Principal Secretary had noted in the file the repercussions of such an order. But sidelining the Principal Secretary’s objection, a senior official in the minister’s office made a two-page note before submitting the file to the minister.
The order did not mention that the laws pertaining to forests in force will be applicable. It is not known if the omission was deliberate. The forest department, which did not cite the forest laws to oppose the order, is also now in the dock.
Officials discovered more than 100 rosewood trees were felled on the land assigned to the tribal-backward class communities at South Muttil village in Kerala's Wayanad district.
Misinterpreting the government order, a large number of centuries-old rosewood trees worth crores of rupees were axed and transported from the land assigned to the tribal-backward class communities at South Muttil village in Kerala's Wayanad district.
The issue came to light following the seizure rosewood worth Rs 60 lakh in Ernakulum's Perumbavoor in February this year.
Minister denies charges
“Revenue Department is not at fault for the controversial order issued in 2020,” Minister for Land Revenue, Survey and Land Records K Rajan told Manorama News on Sunday. The order issued for farmer welfare was misinterpreted.
The government has ordered a detailed investigation on the issue, the minister said.
"All those involved in timber smuggling will be brought before the law. The farmers' demand to allow felling of trees on leased out land will be considered. Loopholes which allow smuggling of timber will be closed," the minister said.
He added that rumours of strife between revenue and forest departments were unfounded.
Collectors had alerted of illegal acts under cover of a nod to axe trees
District Collectors had alerted the forest department of illegal activities being carried out under the cover of October 2020 controversial order that allowed the felling of trees—barring sandalwood—on revenue land, Minister for Forest A K Saseendran said.
The collectors red-flagging the activities also led to cancellation of the order on February 2 this year, the minister said. He expressed unhappiness over moves made to drop Divisional Forest Officer (Flying Squad) P Dhanesh Kumar from the team investigating the felling of trees at Muttil village in Wayanad.
“It is true that a sincere officer had been dropped from the probe team. But it was soon cancelled. The intervention was also to send a message that no erring official could continue,” Saseendran said.
The minister said the government will not protect dishonest officials. The government had issued the order allowing the felling of trees with good intentions. There were no lapses on the part of former revenue and forest ministers, Saseendran said.
He added that the order was not implemented in its essence, and some officials might have acted in a callous manner.
“The finding that Forest Conservator N T Sajan had tried to defame sincere officials by falsely implicating them in cases will also come under the probe of the special team. Further steps will be adopted if the forest department’s probe is not credible,” the minister said.
