Bangalore :Following numerous complaints from various people, that portions of the eco sensitive western ghat forests have been illegally allocated for setting up hydel projects, laying a dirt track for a car rally, and trees have been cut to erect, Punati Sridhar, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), personally trekked through the area and assessed the damage in Hassan and Kodagu circles and submitted a report.
Based on Sridhar’s report, the government has issued notices to deputy conservator of forests (DCF) rank officers in Madikeri and Hunsur seeking an explanation
The Western Ghats, the most ecologically sensitive spot in the country, is home to at least 5,000 of species of plants, 139 species of mammals, 508 species of birds and 325 globally endangered species.
The report claims that officials had clandestinely allowed Kodagu Hydel Project Pvt Ltd to store equipment on two acres of what was virgin evergreen forest land near Kumarahalli village in Somwarpet taluk, Kodagu district.
The government had permitted the Power Grid Corporation of India to cut trees in a 27-metre area to lay transmission cables for a 400 Kv line between Kaiga and Kozhikode. However, on inspection it was found that trees were cut in an area of 52 metres.
The organizers of a car rally too have violated the forests in Kodagu last year. “The organizers using earth moving vehicles had bulldozed the existing coupe road facilitating the movement of rally cars amidst Bisle Reserve Forest.
To make matters worse, a bungalow belonging to the forest department within Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in Virajpet taluk was converted into an arrack shop.
