S. K. Sandhu, DC, Gurdaspur, has held in his four-page fact-finding inquiry report that the Forest Department did not stake its claim to 51,146 trees standing in the area, which was acquired by the Ranjit Sagar Dam authorities. The compensation for these trees, standing on the acquired land, was to be paid to the Forest Department. But, the compensation amount to the tune of Rs 4 crore was paid to private individuals in violation of a state government notification.

The DC further held that the officers concerned should have filed objections under Section 9 of the Land Acquisition act for claiming the compensation amount for the trees. Interestingly, the forest officers were part and parcel of the auctioning process of the trees and were instrumental in giving route permits for transportation of timber and marking of trees for felling purposes.

The DC noted that `cheel' trees standing over 852 hectare area acquired by the Thein Dam authorities were not shown as cheel trees. The same were illicitly felled by private contractors apparently in connivance with the forest officers.

Pointing out irregularities in the auctioning process, the DC noted that the mandatory 15-day notice was not given before the auctioning. In the marked green area above the pondage level of the dam, where no tree was supposed to be felled, the same were felled and auctioned on April 2, 1998 and April 25, 1998.

It may be recalled that this matter was earlier raised by the then Principal, Chief Conservator of Forests, K. S. Aulakh, following which the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal asked the DC to submit an independent fact-finding report. The Forest Department was known for its internal squabbles. The DC noted that since 1904, it was the Forest Department which was felling trees and earning the revenue from the sale of felled timber.

Later, this work was taken over by the Forest Development Corporation. But, in case of felling in the Thein Dam area, the work was entrusted to private forest contractors in violation of the National Forest Policy, 1988, the report held.