NAGPUR: A year after Supreme Court ordered Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) to plough back money from timber felled in Mansinghdeo sanctuary towards conservation work, the corporation remitted Rs 50 lakh to Pench Tiger Conservation Foundation.
Mansinghdeo (183 sqkm) was notified a sanctuary on November 2, 2010, and is part of Pench tiger reserve. However, FDCM, a profit making company engaged in forestry and allied activities, carried out large-scale felling of teak and bamboo after a month of its sanctuary's notification. The felling was done as per the approved working plan, say officials.
However, commercial extraction of timber from national parks and wildlife sanctuaries is banned by the Supreme Court. The SC restrains all states and union territories from removing even dead, diseased, dying or windfallen trees as well as driftwood and grass from any protected area or forest.
The felling stopped after TOI expose on January 11, 2011. The timber, mostly teak and bamboo, whose market value was estimated by FDCM at Rs 2 crore then, was lying inside the sanctuary. However, as it remained dumped for over two years, it was damaged reducing its value, FDCM officials claim.
The proposal to hand over money from sale of timber has been approved by FDCM managing director AK Nigam. "As per SC direction, the proceeds of felled timber have been released through a cheque of Rs 50 lakh after deducting administrative and transportation expenses. We are working on the accounts and I feel another chunk of Rs 10-12 lakh would be paid later on," Nigam told TOI.
MS Reddy, chief conservator of forests (CCF) & field director of Pench, said though he had not yet received the money, he has been intimated by general manager TK Choube that money has been released. "We will utilize it for wildlife conservation and habitat development," Reddy added.
Prafulla Bhamburkar of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) hailed the move stating Mansinghdeo's Saleghat range where huge timber was felled needed lot of funds to develop protection huts, roads, gates, staff quarters, water holes, equipment, guesthouse, vehicles etc. "I hope the money will be spent on reshaping the sanctuary," he said.
Wildlife gets justice
* Mansinghdeo (183 sq km) was notified sanctuary by the state government on November 2, 2010
* FDCM continued felling in its area inside the sanctuary till January 11, 2011. The timber estimated to cost Rs 2 crore
* The felling was against SC ruling of 2000
* The felling was probed by MoEF officials. NGOs took up the matter with ex-minister of MoEF Jairam Ramesh
* Ramesh, on January 20, 2011 wrote to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan drawing his attention towards illicit felling. Yet, no action was taken against officials
* In January 2012, the matter finally went to SC which, in March 2013, allowed FDCM to dispose of the timber but on the condition that money should be utilized for sanctuary development
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