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Journalism of Courage
JUNE 16: Close on the heels of the Bastar land and forest scandal (Malik Makbukja scam) in Madhya Pradesh, a similar scam of almost equal or greater magnitude has come to light in the Damoh district of Bundelkhand region.
Trees worth crores of rupees have been cut illegally by the timber mafia in collusion with some politicians and bureaucrats near the `Eco Centre’ in Rani Durgavati sanctuary in Damoh in the last few years. Incidentally, Forest Minister of MP, Ratnesh Soloman has allegedly been aiding and abetting the timber mafia in massive destruction of the forest area in the region.
When the rampant destruction of forest with the connivance of timber mafia and politicians came to light at the end of last year, the Supreme Court asked the Lokayukta of MP and the Additional Inspector General of Forests, government of India to probe into the matter. The Lokayukta soon despatched a fact-finding team to the spot to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile the National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR), a national network of more than 50 NGOs from various parts of the country which lodged a strong protest against the activities of the Forest Minister Soloman demanded stern action against the culprits.
Talking to The Indian Express S R Hiremath, president of the NCPNR said Soloman had purchased land in the midst of the Rani Durgavati Sanctuary near a lake, surrounded by forests. Soloman, however, failed to show the trees on the land during purchase of the area. Subsequently he cut down a number of teak trees illegally without permission of the concerned authorities.
The timber mafia has systematically been felling trees in the Sangrampur area of Damoh district, even as the forest department allegedly chose to keep silent. Hiremath charged that Soloman allegedly provided protection to the timber mafia instead of stopping their illegal activities.
Incensed with Soloman’s involvement in the timber scam, local activists in Damoh region filed public interest litigations and complaints against him. The minister, who admitted in the MP assembly last year that, `Cases of felling of trees do occur’, is himself charged with denuding 155,000 sq kms of forest cover in MP!
Santosh Bharti, convenor of the NGO group-`Sadbhav’ and one of the complainants has accused Soloman of evading stamp duty by concealing information about the teak plantation on five acres he and his wife bought at Singrampur in September 1997. Bharti also accused him of felling 107 trees worth crores of rupees, without the permission of the District Collector.
When Bharti tried to protest against the alleged attempt by some forest officials to destroy papers/documents relating to investigations into the forest destruction, including the alleged serious irregularities committed by various persons led by Soloman, he and some other activists were badly beaten up by the police officers.
Bharti charged mass felling of trees started in Damoh only after Soloman’s brother-in-law and Congress MP Ajit Jogi got Congress president Sonia Gandhi to visit Singrampur on May 24, 1999. Soloman arranged the public rally and also bore all expenses. In May 1999 around 50,000 logs of wood were allegedly removed from Singrampur area on trucks.
Mounting pressure from the local people and activists forced Jabera police to seize a few vehicles. Later these vehicles were released on a nominal fine. Forest cover has been fast depleting in Tendukheda, Sagoni and Madiado, but there is still hope of saving the forest if only the MP government begins to take note of situation seriously, says Hiremath.
