Trees on forest land face axe in Mohali

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 27

The felling of trees in Jyanti Majri, Gurdha, Kasauli, Bagindi and Karudianwala villages of Mohali district has come under scanner. Village residents have complained to Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari that forest and revenue officials allegedly facilitated the tree felling in the undivided forest land of villagers.

Residents of the Gujjar-dominated villages said they had seized four truckloads of khair tree logs after lodging complaints with the authorities.

Jassi of Jyanti Majri village said: “We are demanding physical demarcation of forest land, where the trees stood. If the land has not been demarcated, how can some people claim ownership over a specific tract of land.”

Tewari said it was a serious matter and the state authorities should probe it. He is learnt to have called the revenue and forest authorities to stall the felling.

Villagers accused forest officials of being hand in glove with the timber mafia.

Mohali Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Guraman said, “The Forest Department issued four permits for tree felling after verifying the documents. The matter regarding the division of forest land rests with district revenue authorities.”

Kharar Sub Divisional Magistrate Himanshu Jain said the felling had been stopped on the orders of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) after the villagers approached the authorities. The matter has been referred to the Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR), he added.