Keep us in loop before acting against our men, says forest officer to Haryana DGP

Two district forest department employees were arrested and more than 150 quintals of khair wood were recovered on April 6.

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Khair tree trunks confiscated by Police lying at Chandimandir police station in Panchkula on Thursday, May 18 2017. Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh

RAISING HIS concern over the arrest of two staff members of the forest department in connection with illegal felling of 125 khair trees from the forest land in Morni hills, principal chief conservator of forest, Haryana, P P Bhojvaid, has written a letter to the Haryana Director General of Police that the department be taken into confidence before taking legal action against its officials.

The demi-official (DO) letter was written to DGP B S Sandhu around a week ago. Two district forest department employees — forester Sucha Singh and forest guard Gian Singh — were arrested and more than 150 quintals of khair wood were recovered on April 6. The police investigation has established that although the department had given permission for felling of 25 tress to two local residents, some contractual employees fell around 125 khair trees. The role of a forest ranger, Anil Jangra, is also under the police scanner.

Khair wood is used for making kattha used in paan and it fetches a high price in the market. Bhojvaid said, “I have written a DO letter to Haryana DGP saying that a thorough investigation is required into this matter. Had we been informed about the illegal felling of trees, we would have taken strict departmental action against the negligent staff members. The illegal felling of khair tress on forest land is covered under Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, and not IPC.”

When contacted, DGP Sandhu said, “I am yet to look into this matter. The particular case was registered following the raid of CM flying squad, which works independently.” The FIR against Sucha Singh and Gian Singh under various sections was registered at Chandimandir police station.

The two accused were produced in the Environment Court, Kurukshetra, and kept in police custody for three days. Later, they were sent to judicial custody in Ambala Jail and currently, both of them are out on bail.
Police sources said permits for felling of 25 khair trees were issued to Gurnam Singh and Munni Lal, who later gave the work of felling of trees to a private contractor.

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Forest Department