Illegally felled trees in Serilingampally being removed from a vehicle on April 30. Photo credits: Arrangement
More than 20 days after the massive tree felling incident in Serilingampally zone, the only person punished beyond any measure for the crime was the one who had brought the vehicles to clear away the logs.
Chatavath Srinu, a resident of Pahadi Shareef, paid dearly for his unwitting participation in the illegal act.
Apart from paying the rent for the hired vehicles till they were kept in the custody of the Forest Department, they also invoiced the department for payment of ₹70,000 for abandoning the vehicles.
“I regularly work with the GHMC to remove fallen trees and tree branches by the side of the road. I am not even paid by them, but earn revenue by selling the waste as firewood,” said Mr. Srinu Hindu,
The call received from the GHMC supervisor on April 30 for similar work was considered routine by them. Little did he know that 78 trees of all species of Peltophorum on the Hitech-City-KPHB road had been felled illegally by the orders of the same officials who were supposed to protect them.
“A large number of officials from GHMC and traffic police were monitoring the work. As soon as I started lifting the wood, the forest officials arrived and in one fell swoop seized the two vehicles that I had brought on hire. Other GHMC vehicles were also at the spot, but they did not seize them, alleged Mr. Srinu.
The 20 days that followed were a nightmare for him and his family. The owners of both the vehicles started putting tremendous pressure on him. “They barged into my house one night and asked me to either pay the cost of the vehicles or pay ₹2,000 per day as waiting charges. I went to my village the next day, and borrowed ₹50,000 to pay them,” shared Mr. Srinu.
They say that calls to GHMC officials, who called them, went unanswered, and they only received threats when they appealed to the traffic police.
Mr Srinu, along with his brother, made several rounds of the Forest Range Office at Chilukur and the headquarters at Aranya Bhavan for the safe release of the vehicles.
“Finally, the forest officials raised an invoice of ₹70,000 and asked us to pay it to get the vehicles back. We have no option, as my brother is committing suicide after going through this test,” lamented Mr. Sreenu’s brother, Chatavath Parmesh, an engineering student.
The tree felling incident came to light when civic activist Vinay Wangla shared it on social media on April 30, tagging the forest officials. The tweet went viral, with many citizens demanding action against the culprits.
Inquiries by forest officials revealed that the trees were cut on the orders of the Urban Biodiversity Officers of GHMC on deputation from the Forest Department. It is not yet clear at whose behest the act was done and for which an inquiry should be conducted by the GHMC. GHMC officials said they are yet to receive the report from the forest department.