Conservator’s reply on tree felling not satisfactory: Mayor

Kuldeep Chauhan

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Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 29

Even as Conservator, Forests, AP Nagar claimed that the department took timely action in connection with the three cases of tree felling, Mayor Sanjay Chauhan accused the Forest Department of not taking immediate action under the HP Municipal Act, 1994. He said offenders had enough time to manipulate the evidence.

“The Conservator’s reply is not satisfactory,” said Chauhan, who also heads the Tree Felling Authority Committee (TAC), the highest body that gives permission for axing trees in the city.

“He has not shown the true picture. Questions, such as how many trees were cut or dried in the three cases, have not been answered,” he said.

Chauhan said the DFO (Urban) should have told TAC when the trees were cut as action had to be taken under the HPMC Act, 1994. “It seems that forest staff are involved and are being protected in the Kasumpti case,” he charged.

He said the Forest Department had filed a damage report and issue show-cause notices to the offenders. “We had asked the Conservator to submit a detailed report,” Sanjay Chauhan added.

In his reply to the Mayor, a copy of which is with The Tribune, the Conservator had assured him of taking action against the offenders under the HPMC Act. In the first case in Kasumpti, timber was seized and the challan had been put in the court of the Shimla Municipal Commissioner on March 21, he added.

In the second case at C-21, SDA Complex, the tree fell on its own. It was leaning against a building which was cut with the help of the police, forest officials and the locals.

“We admit our mistake that we could not inform you,” he added.

In the third case, the trees were cut on the plot owned by some Suresh Chauhan on the night of March 21, Nagar said. “Investigations are on,” he said.

The DFO, in a press statement issued today, claimed that five trees had been cut from the plot owned by Suresh Chauhan in New Shimla and the damage report had been issued to him. In Kasumpti, the challan had been filed in the MC court without naming the two plot owners.