Sambalpur: Villagers have expressed concern over mindless felling of trees in Jujumara forests in the district.
Despite orders to prevent the indiscriminate cutting of valuable trees a fortnight ago, the Revenue and Forest department officials have not yet prepared a report and were found blaming each other over the matter.
According to sources, many valuable trees were chopped off in the forest to make room for a road about two weeks ago. Sabita Dehuri, a local woman, had filed a complaint to the forest department in this connection.
Acting on a complaint, the Public Works department had immediately stopped the road project, estimated to cost about Rs 7 crore. Even though the Public Works department has been executing the project, they are yet to get the official clearance from the Forest and the Revenue departments to cut trees.
DFO Sanjib Kumar had directed Sambapur ranger Gouri Das to look into the matter. The preliminary investigation by the ranger found that the place where trees had been felled falls in the Reserve forest area.
As the area comes under the Revenue Department, it had been asked to prepare a report immediately, but the officials are allegedly delaying the investigation and preparation of the report.
Amid allegations of attempt to cover up the illegality of the PWD and its contractor, both the Revenue and the Forest departments have now resorted to blame each other.
According to residents, the Forest Department personnel has been harassing common people for chopping off trees, but is doing nothing against the Public Works Department and its contractor.
They demanded immediate action against the guilty.
When asked about the issue, Jujumara Additional Tehsildar Rina Nayak said due to work pressure, the report has not been prepared so far. It will be submitted at the earliest, she added.
Ranger Gouri Das said on receipt of a joint report, appropriate action would be taken against the guilty while the PWD has been pulled up for the illegality.
Locals said the forest was raised some 20 years ago with great care by the villagers.
PNN