A forest guard who reported an illegal bamboo tree felling in a reserve forest of Chhattisgarh's Korba district and filed charges against a Range Officer and his Deputy may face disciplinary action, officials hinted on Saturday.
A video of the Forest Beat Guard Shekhar Singh Ratre went viral on social media wherein he is seen scolding his superiors at the Haldibadi reserve forest in Korba district for getting bamboo trees chopped without proper official order.
The guard prepared a charge-sheet against the Ranger and his Deputy but they refused to sign it.
The video was widely shared on social media, and Ratre was widely praised for his action.
“I have asked the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Korba to send a written report about the incident based on which action will be taken,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Rakesh Chaturvedi told The Pioneer over the phone.
Over the alleged illegal tree felling, he clarified that it was an old plantation and a Self-Help Group (SHG) was asked to make tree guards around the bamboo cluster.
The DFO has verbally reported that there were complaints against the guards due to which another guard was posted in his place. "However, I am waiting for a written report based on which further action will be taken," Chaturvedi said.