BHOPAL, DEC 12: Despite a Supreme Court ban, felling of trees continues in Bastar district due to a nexus between timber merchants, government officials and politicians including State Forest Minister Shiv Netam, alleges a report by a four-member study team.

The team, sponsored by the National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) and the Jana Vikas Andolan (JVA), has also blamed the Collector and the forest officials currently posted at Bastar for the felling.

On February 11, a Division Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice J S Verma and Justice B N Kirpal which was hearing a writ petition had ordered the Madhya Pradesh Government ``to ensure that no trees are felled in the forest of Bastar district, even under any permission granted by the local administration, until further orders.''

However, the study team found out from the villagers and officials concerned that over 800 trees had been felled in the Jhulna-Tendu village area (which has both reserved and revenue forests) in the Kanker range between June 15 and June 19.

Their report also records several instances of harassment of villagers who went to the forest officials with the details of the illegal felling and requested action. The team also found that the Collector had taken no follow-up action on the Supreme Court order and that the official took note of the felling only after a complaint was filed with the Lokayukta on August 8. It alleges that the Collector was involved in a cover-up operation.

The report also indicts the forest officials saying they did not even register a Primary Offence Report of the felling which had been brought to their notice by the villagers and confirmed by high-level forest officials. The felling has mostly taken place around Ghotia village, the Attharahanala hills, the Keshkal hills, the Amabeda range, the Korar range, the Bhanupratappur range and the Kapsi range, the team discovered.

The study team consisting of S R Hiremath of NCPNR, Ratneshwar Nath (social activist from Parivartan, a voluntary organisation based in Bastar district), R R Kongovi ( scientist and president of the Samaj Parivartan Samudaya of Karnataka) and Prabhu Dandavatimath (ecologist) has suggested that CBI probe the nexus so that the ``powerful people'' behind the felling can be brought to book.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.