Khair tree felling row: Haryana removes two top forest officers, new probe team formed
The controversy stems from the illegal felling and theft of more than 1,000 khair trees (Acacia catechu) in Asarewali Protected Forest, part of a wildlife sanctuary in Panchkula district.
The probe into the illegal felling of Khair trees will now be carried out by a new committee. (Express photo) A jurisdictional tussle between Haryana’s two senior-most Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers over the inquiry into illegal felling of khair trees in protected areas has culminated in both being removed from their posts. The probe will now be carried out by a new committee.
On March 17, Vineet Kumar Garg, a 1989-batch officer who was serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), constituted a panel headed by IFS officer R Anand to assess wildlife habitat degradation, including the illegal felling of khair trees in Kalesar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.
The committee was tasked with submitting its report within 15 days. Two days later, however, Vivek Saxena, a 1991-batch officer serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, quashed Garg’s order on jurisdictional grounds and formed a fresh inquiry committee under IFS officer Subhash Chander, directing it to probe the felling in Kalesar National Park, Yamunanagar, and report within 15 days.
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