Forest Department permits to cut 48 trees; RIE chops off 88

RIE Farm Superintendent, contractor booked

Mysuru: The Forest Department has registered a case against a Farm Superintendent of Regional Institute of Education (RIE) and contractor for cutting excess trees in the campus than permitted by the Forest Department.

RIE Farm Superintendent Gulab Singh and contractor Govind have been booked for felling trees in the institution campus. RIE is a Central Government institution and the institute had sought mandatory permission from the Forest Department to cut some trees inside the campus.

Following mass tree felling two days back, public and environmentalists had raised objections following which Mysuru Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. K.C. Prashanth Kumar, ACF Kripanidhi and other forest officers visited the spot and found that many trees that were not permitted to cut were chopped off.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Prashanth Kumar said that the Department had permitted the RIE to cut 48 trees but the contractor had chopped off an additional 40 trees in violation of rules. A sandalwood tree was found lying on the ground and there is no evidence of the scented tree being cut, he added.

“We have registered cases against Gulab Singh and Govind and action will be taken against them,” Prashanth Kumar said.