The Forest Department has ordered an inquiry into the illegal axing of two dozen green sal (shorea robusta) trees in the Rajpur area of Mussoorie forest division.
The Dehradun district administration is also inquiring into the incident which the department had allegedly tried to conceal in the beginning.
It should be mentioned here that 25 green sal trees were axed in the Rajpur compartment of Mussoorie forest division last week. A senior police officer owns land in the vicinity of the site in question but he has denied any role in the axing of the trees.
The principal chief conservator of forests, Dr RBS Rawat said that whether the site be revenue land or reserve forest, axing the green trees without permission is an offence under the law. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident with the chief conservator of forest, Garhwal circle Gambhir Singh being directed to conduct the inquiry.
The preliminary investigation report by the Mussoorie sub divisional forest officer has already been submitted to Singh, while the timber from the axed trees was seized by the department. the Environmental activists point out that though the department has ordered an inquiry into the illegal felling of trees, the incident has raised questions about the efficiency of the department staff which was not able to prevent the illegal axing of 25 green trees in an area which is not remote or hard to access.
It is believed that the trees were axed to make space for some construction. The land in question is also the subject of an ownership dispute.
Meanwhile, taking cognisance of the incident, the district administration has also directed the sub divisional magistrate to inquire into the incident.