200 trees found axed in Nurpur, two suspended

NURPUR, APRIL 28

A forest guard and a forest worker of the Minjgranh beat were placed under suspension yesterday after over 200 khair trees had reportedly been found axed in February and March.

Special inspection teams comprising 24 members of the Forest Department visited the forest yesterday and started an inquiry into the illegal felling of trees.

Chief Conservator Forest (CCF) DR Kaushal, Dharamsala, said the inspection and counting of axed trees was still in progress.

Both had been suspended and strict action would also be taken against the then Deputy Ranger of Nurpur who retired last month.

Inquiries reveal that forest mafia has not only felled over 200 trees but also uprooted the stumps, leaving no evidence of their existence on the spot.

Earlier this month, the forest department had suspended a forest range officer of Indora and issued a charge-sheet to the block officer, Gangath, for illegal tree felling in Damtal and Gangath forest blocks. Apart from this, three forest guards had also been suspended in that area.