PONDA: Deputy Conservator of Forest and Range Forest Officer raided an alleged illegal hill cutting site on a private forest at Bethora and seized three tipper trucks, a wheel loader, two JCBs and 21 uprooted trees.
It is learnt that the private forest land is owned by Sayyad Kasim Makandar.
It is learnt that Sandeep Azrekar, a member of ‘Nature Club’ had complained against hill cutting and developing of plots on private forest land in Survey Nos 193 and 194 at Bethora. Following this, the raid was conducted.
The forest office registered an offence against the owner and thirty other persons involved in the hill cutting work at Bethora.
According to the forest office, the hill cutting has been going on for a very long time on the private forest land at Bethora.
Besides, at least 30 people have constructed houses on Survey Nos 193 and 194; and around 220 people have purchased plots on the same survey numbers.
When the hill cutting started in 2013, a petition was filed before the National Green Tribunal (Pune bench), but the hill cutting did not stop.
Forest department sources said if one compared the 2013 Google map with present one, massive destruction of private forest land is visible. Locals say that they are denied access to this hill in private area as access to the same is guarded by private parties.
Local allege that local politicians are also involved in the illegal hill cutting.
Bethora Sarpanch Sushant Gaonkar was not reachable on phone for his comments.
