Ajay Sharma
Sunderbani, January 17: In an alleged connivance of Forest officials, a huge chunk of forest has been illegally mowed down to construct a road in the green forest area.
According to sources, illegal deforestation has damaged a huge part of the jungle near Makol village and this all has happened with the alleged involvement of some officials of the Forest Department.
“The road construction, carried out without proper permissions, has caused massive damage to the area’s ecosystem,” said sources, adding that heavy machinery was put on the task to make a road from the jungle.
Despite repeated alerts to the concerned authorities, including Range Officer Sunderbani and DFO Nowshera, no action was taken.
Northlines also accentuated the matter. However, despite multiple calls and complaints, Range Officer Anil Dev Singh dismissed the concern, stating that it was none of the business of a Journalist to enquire into the activities within forest or its destruction.
“This lack of accountability has raised suspicions of possible collusion between forest officials and influential individuals,” said sources, adding that the road construction has reportedly resulted in the destruction of hundreds of trees and plantations thus rendering substantial loss of green cover and also has caused financial losses worth crores of rupees.
The loss to biodiversity is immeasurable, with the cutting down of significant forest cover, including valuable Kalojar trees.
“Former Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members and other local influencers have been involved in this act of environmental degradation,” revealed a social activist who wanted not to be named..
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses suggested that heavy machinery was used without any oversight, and no guards or forest officials were present to stop the illegal activity.
Local activists have demanded the government and top Forests Authorities to take cognizance of this vandalizing of Forest and to order an independent transparent probe and fix the accountability of those responsible.
