Tree-felling row in Kerala snowballing into a major scandal

A tree felling row in Kerala seems to be snowballing into a major scandal with reports that rosewood and teak trees worth around Rs. 500 crore could have been illegally axed under the cover of a controversial government order of last year.

While the initial reports said the illegal tree felling took place in Wayanad district only, fresh reports were emerging that the tree felling took place in many other districts.

Even as state Forest Minster A K Saseendran ordered a probe by the forest department, the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front demanded a probe under the High Court's direct supervision alleging a political nexus of the timber lobby.

The trees were felled from revenue lands assigned to farmers under the Kerala Land Assignment Act. A 2020 October order of the Kerala revenue department allowed axing of protected trees like rosewood and teak grown by farmers in the assigned lands. A massive tree felling allegedly took place under the cover of this order. After it came to the notice of environmentalists and many approached courts, the government cancelled the order by Feb. 3.

Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samiti president N Badusha said that the damage was already done as the timber lobbies managed to smuggle over 100 trees, mainly rosewood by that time, at Muttil in Wayanad alone. It is quite certain that massive illegal tree felling took place in other parts of the state also, he said. The Opposition asked how the smugglers could ferry the timber worth crores from the northern district to a sawmill in Ernakulam.

Cases were registered in connection with the Wayanad tree felling against a gang comprising Roji Augustine and Anto Augustine. Rosewood worth around Rs. 10 crore was recovered. Forest officials who exposed the illegal tree felling also allegedly faced threats.

Forest department sources said that now there were reports that massive tree felling took place in many other districts also. Roughly 500 trees could have been illegally axed under the cover of the order and the cost would be around Rs. 100 crore.

There were also unconfirmed reports that some district collectors had expressed initial apprehensions over the government order. Even then, the government kept silent for a few months.

The issue rocked the Kerala Assembly on Tuesday with the Opposition seeking permission for an adjournment motion and staging a walkout after the permission was denied. Congress leader P T Thomas, who moved the notice for the adjournment motion, alleged that the controversial government order was issued to facilitate the politically influential timber lobbies. The tree felling at Muttil in Wayanad that already came to light was just the tip of the iceberg, he said.

The forest minister said that principal chief conservator of forest - vigilance was directed to probe whether tree felling took place in other parts of the state also. He also said that the tree felling took place by misinterpreting the government order.

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