Shivamogga: Forest minister Eshwar Khandre has ordered suspension of the fange forest officer (RFO), deputy range forest officer (DRFO) and beat guards following charges of illegal felling of hundreds of Acacia trees in the forest area of Soppinabetta in Malavi village, Sagar taluk, Shivamogga district.The minister has issued written instructions to the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) regarding this matter. Minister Khandre cited a govt of Karnataka circular of Feb 2010, which clarifies that based on the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, and various high court rulings, lands categorised as Kan, Bana, Betta, Soppinabetta, Jamma Bane and Jamma Malai are considered forest lands. While locals are permitted to collect foliage for personal use in Soppinabetta, felling trees is strictly prohibited. The forest officials failed to prevent the illegal cutting of hundreds of trees in the compensatory forest area, marking a significant dereliction of duty, he stated in the directive.The minister stated that despite the Karnataka high court ruling that land identified for compensatory afforestation acquires the legal status of forest land, the FIR in this case reportedly mentioned the incident occurred ‘outside the forest’. Khandre noted that this appears to be a deliberate attempt to favour the accused by misrepresenting govt-owned forest land as non-forest land.The minister also pointed to a recurring pattern of illegal activities in the same range. In March, villagers near Avinahalli stopped a vehicle illegally transporting a massive load of timber without valid passes. Khandre remarked that repeated incidents of illegal felling and timber smuggling within the same range suggest the direct involvement of officials.Khandre has directed that a show-cause notice be issued to the deputy conservator of forests. A high-level team led by the additional principal chief conservator of forests will now investigate all cases of illegal tree felling, encroachment and timber smuggling that have occurred in this range over the last three years.
