PERNEM: Mopa Vimantal Pidit Xetkari Samiti has alleged that the massive cutting and theft of standing trees, which is going on at Chandel Mopa Plateau, is being done with support of government departments.
From the past 4 days, many trees are chopped and many are uprooted by the GMR Company for the Mopa Airport project. Sources informed that GMR has obtained permission from the Forest Department to chop off 2703 trees from the Mopa plateau for project work, however, when locals visited the site, it was found that the trees are being chopped and uprooted with heavy earth moving machineries.
Locals said that the trees which are so far chopped and uprooted were not having any identification number. The machineries, which are being used for chopping and uprooting the trees, also do not have any registered number. This means the company, the locals said, is allegedly chopping off trees randomly without proper identification or marking the 2703 trees.
President of MVPSS Sandip Kambli said, “There are neither marking on the trees nor any registered number on the machinery. The cutting of trees is going on illegally with police protection. Also when we went and asked the contractor at the spot how he came to know which trees should be chopped, he said they are cutting off the trees which they can see. We contacted police and requested them to stop the work and start only when the proper marking of 2703 trees is done. However, the police said that the company has obtained permission to cut trees and they cannot say anything. If the local police who are meant for our
protection are helpless then where are we supposed to go?”
Locals informed Herald that there are lakhs of trees on this plateau which include common forest trees, many medicinal trees and also timber and sandalwood trees. “For the last four days the trees are being chopped without any identification and if this continues then the company will chop off more than what they are permitted and nobody will know how many trees are cut off. Also the chopped and uprooted trees are being transported illegally during the night,” said one local. Locals alleged that the trees are being cut illegally and it is a theft going on with police protection.
When the tree cutting began, the locals first contacted the police dialling 100, however, instead of stopping the work police are supporting the illegal tree cutting saying that they cannot do anything since the company has obtained permission to cut 2703 trees. The locals also approached the local Pernem forest officer who claimed that the company has taken permission from their head office and nothing can be done from their side.
The Samiti has demanded that the ongoing work of cutting of trees should be stopped immediately and should be started only once the 2703 trees are identified and marked.
Meanwhile, the GMR Company has filed a complaint against the locals for allegedly trespassing into their property. When contacted, the Pernem PI Sandesh Chodankar said, “The company has filed a complaint against the locals for trespassing into their property and accordingly the concerned people will be booked.” However, the locals have also filed a counter complaint against the GMR company for illegal tree cutting and theft which will be reportedly forwarded to the Forest Department.
