FDCM chief shunted as probe begins in illicit tree-felling

FDCM chief shunted as probe begins in illicit tree-felling
PRADIP KUMAR MAITRA

NAGPUR, MAR 1: In what appears to be a direct fallout of the massive tree-felling, detected recently in the tribal dominated areas of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, the Managing Director of Forests Development Corporation Limited (FDCM), S K Bali, has been shunted to the parent department as Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF). The senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer and CCF (Development), Sunil Mitra, will replace him as the FDCM chief.

The MD of the FDCM is considered as number two position in the forest hierarchy after the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). Mitra, a 1968-batch IFS officer, had joined here as CCF (Development) two years ago.

It was alleged that `timber mafia' of the region illegally fell teak woods, worth of crores of rupees from the aream, and smuggled them in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in recent past. The illicit tree-felling was taken seriously by the State Government and a probe is currently on to fix the responsibility. Senior forest officials even camped in the affected areas and made suggestions in their preliminary report to the government to prevent such incidents further.

The issue of massive illicit tree-felling in both districts, particularly in FDCM area was highlighted by the former minister, Shobhatai Phadnavis. She alleged that the alleged illicit felling were carried out in help of `corrupt' forest officials. Besides, massive illicit tree-felling were also detected in Sironcha forest division. The Range Forest Officer (RFO) of the concerned range, one Chakole, has been suspended while the Deputy Conservator of Forest (Dy CF), Sironcha division, Thengdi, has been asked to proceed on long leave. One Jashbir Singh was directed to take the charge of Sironcha division.

The Government has shifted one of the seniormost forest officers, M G Gogte, CCF (Wildlife), from here and appointed as Director, Social Forestry. He will be succeeded by Ravindra Sule. Bishwajit Majumder, CCF (Production) has been shifted and appointed as CCF (Development) while Bali will be the new CCF (Production). Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is reported to have taken personal interest in effecting these transfers.