Forest official suspended over delay in paying sandalwood owner

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Forest Department has suspended a Deputy Range Forest Officer pending inquiry for allegedly failing to ensure timely payment to a landowner after sandalwood trees from his private property were taken over by the department for auction.

V A Satheesh, Deputy Range Forest Officer at the Ommala Forest Station, was placed under suspension with immediate effect following a preliminary inquiry that found lapses in the handling of the sandalwood logs.

The action comes after the media recently reported that Benny, a resident of Agali in Palakkad district, had not received payment for sandalwood trees that the Forest Department had taken from his private land for sale.

Based on the report, the Mannarkkad Divisional Forest Officer conducted a preliminary inquiry. The inquiry found that there were lapses on the part of the Deputy Range Forest Officer in completing the procedures for transporting the sandalwood logs to the Marayoor depot, which delayed the auction process and payment to the landowner.

Following the findings, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Administration) and disciplinary authority Dr J Justin Mohan ordered Satheesh's suspension under Rule 10(1)(a) of the Kerala Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1960, pending completion of the inquiry. The suspension took effect immediately.

The order states that the officer will be entitled to a subsistence allowance during the suspension period in accordance with the provisions of the Kerala Service Rules.