The mile long forest created under Social Forestry Programme at the char land of Faradpur under Godagari upazila is being devastated by some influential quarters of the locality. Under the cover of darkness after evening, large trees of the forest are being felled and plundered. Local people and the beneficiaries of the forest have demanded to intensify watching at the forest areas to save it.
According to sources Faradpur social forestry was created in 2010-’11 to 2011-’12 fiscal year on 180 hectares of land on the charland (shoal) of river Padma. Now, most of the plants have turned to large trees and an influential quarter of the area were felling those trees and selling those under the cover of darkness.
Police and local people informed, influential persons of locality including Tony, Sonarul, Ujjal, Kartik and Babu Lal alongwith some local beneficiaries were regularly stealing trees from the forest. Even, some members of Forest Management Committee and the Forest Officials are also learnt to involve with such activities. Police on last week has recovered some logs of stolen trees from the house of Tony, a resident of neighboring village. A case has been filed on Wednesday with local police station in this connection.
After visiting the forest areas on Tuesday, some severed trunks and branches of the trees were seen while some large trees were also seen with cut marks with saws and axes. Those felled trees and trunks of the trees were learnt to be sold in various swa-mills and at the local brick kilns.
Local people complained, earlier of last week, severed trees were recovered from the house of Tony but no case was filed against him then. They claimed, due to an unholy relation with the watchers of the forest and with the members of Social Forestry, the tree-lifters were managing to escape with the trees.
Hedayetul Islam, President of Forest Management Committee denied any involvement with the stealing of trees. He said, he himself had nabbed the thief and went to the police station to file case.
Anisur Rahman, Upazila Forest Officer of Godagari informed, where there is assets, there is also thieves. The forest workers have been employed to guard the forest and they were trying the check stealing of trees. Even action is being taken against those in whose house the stolen trees are being recovered.
It is learnt, to save the environmental balance of the char areas, the Department of Forestry with 549 local beneficiaries planted varieties of trees including Mango, Catechu, Akash Moni, Rain tree, Koroi, Epil-epil, Jhau, Shishu, Arjun and Neem on 180 hectares of land at a cost of Taka one crore six lakh in 2010 to 2012.
