CPI Maoists and villagers in Kutku range of tiger reserve Palamu have intensified their pressure on the officials felling all pole crop having 30cm girth.
As part of grass land management PTR officials are bringing down all pole crop having 30cm girth. A large number of trees are so being felled by officials.
Sources said at least 12 hectares of forest land in PTR in Kutku range is being so cleansed of pole crop for a better and cozy grass land there.Reason for bringing it down as given by officials is that grasses under these pole crop in Kutku range is rendering grasses unpalatable for herbivores.
Sources said the Maoists are in panic as the more felling of pole crop in tiger reserve the more their hide out in tiger reserve is exposed as forest will then be quite thinner. Maoists want thicker forest said sources.
The ire of the villagers is that officials are so cutting pole crop having 30 cm girth but when they do this for timber for house making they are booked under forest act.
A K Mishra deputy director North division confirming this twin wrath against PTR officials said that pole crop is being brought down for a better and effective grass land management as grasses growing beneath such pole crop having 30 cm girth become unpalatable because of long and continued absence of sun rays not reaching them.
He said all such felled pole crop would be handed over to eco development committee operative in villages so that the committee can dispose of it in the larger interest of the villagers.Sources said the Maoists and villagers have their own interest and reason to object to this while PTR officials find it hard to convince that all these felling is because of grass land.