Madikeri: The Codava National Council (CNC) has urged the Union government and Chief Justice of India (CJI) to hand over the rampant tree felling case in Kodagu to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In a memorandum to the CJI, CNC has alleged that timber magnate PC Hassainar has demolished and stolen all well grown trees and is continuing doing so at the 122 acre of unredeemed Biddanda Male situated on the border of Kerala, adjacent to Iritti between Udumbe-Makutta-Kulimakki of Palangala and Karada village. CNC has even accused former MLC and advocate AK Subbaiah of being hand-in-glove with Hassainar in all his illegal dealings. Even though the property is in S.No 31, 121.67 acres, Assainar has destroyed more than about 1000 acres of government land around the area including Kodimaniyanda Male at Naladi village.
The timber mafia including the officials has dragged the boundary between Kerala and Karnataka inwards by a kilometer into Kodagu district. On account of this misdeed, the remaining land beyond the boundary has been allowed to be encroached by Kerala due to the timber mafia, accused CNC.
The CNC has also accused one Nilambur Rubber plantation of stealthily selling 200 acres of forest land in Thottipala to another person.
Even though not a single inch of Jamma property is misused by land owners, the corrupt bureaucrats are making false allegations against real Jamma holders in order to mislead the government. The entire show of stealing and looting forest wealth is strictly limited to government owned properties i.e reserved forests, said CNC.
Adding to the list of misdeeds, the CNC accused timber magnet Assainar of looting a large extent of property earlier owned by Kalachettira family and Moodalli family at Anjana Bettageri in Sunticoppa. In fact, the entire lot of unredeemed trees particularly teakwood, rosewood and white cedar have been looted. Similar drama is being played by these timber thieves in Devarakadu of Basthi Kadu situated at Anjana Bettageri. One example is that Assainar has used a crane to lift and transport an extraordinarily large tree from Anjana Bettageri Devarakad in the recent past, said CNC.
CNC further said that Assainar stays at Balabruhi Governmnet Guest house at Bengaluru through the help of one former chief minister of Karnataka who is having Benami estate in Coorg with the partnership of Assainar. He is always residing at the guest house and from there he operates his illegal activities.
One more instance is that, a certain timber mafia has been destroying forest wealth past 25 years at one single estate. i.e Faith estate of Kutta. The entire Faith estate comes under compartment No.1 area of Nagarhole National Park and it is a prohibited area and no felling of trees are permitted.
Large numbers of rosewood trees are felled and are likely to be transported in Balecadu estate of Suntikoppa and the forest officials have issued permit for the operation without maintaining any ledger account and each and every tree was unredeemed. CNC has demanded a thorough investigation into all the incidents.
