FSI terms Uttarakhand forest dept objections on its Pakhro report as ‘childish’ - Hindustan Times
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FSI terms Uttarakhand forest dept objections on its Pakhro report as ‘childish’

ByAmit Bathla
Nov 01, 2022 06:36 PM IST

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) in its report had claimed that over 6,000 trees on 16.21 hectares of land were felled for Pakhro tiger safari project in Corbett Tiger Reserve

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has termed the objections raised by the Uttarakhand forest department over its report on the proposed Pakhro tiger safari project in Corbett Tiger Reserve as “futile and childish”.

The Uttarakhand forest department questioned the FSI report, saying they want to know which satellite images FSI used to come to a conclusion on the number of trees felled. (HT File Photo)
The Uttarakhand forest department questioned the FSI report, saying they want to know which satellite images FSI used to come to a conclusion on the number of trees felled. (HT File Photo)

FSI in its report had claimed that over 6,000 trees on 16.21 hectares of land were felled for the project despite the fact that permission was obtained only for 163 trees. However, the Uttarakhand forest department questioned the report, saying they want to know which satellite images FSI used to come to a conclusion on the number of trees felled.

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FSI director general Anoop Singh in reply to Vinod Kumar, principal chief conservator of forests, Uttarakhand dubbed the latter’s objections as “an attempt to confuse the readers by questioning the report on non-existent technical grounds.”

“Whatever alleged wrongs have taken place in Pakhro and nearby areas are sub-judice and the law is taking its own course. At this juncture, your efforts to defend the wrongdoings may not be the best course of action.”

The letter, a copy of which is with HT, further said, “Moreover, the author has neither read the report properly nor the mandate given by UKFD to FSI.”

The letter added, “FSI deployed its technically sound personnel, resources like time, funds and other necessary resources to honour your request to us to carry out “remote sensing” based analysis regarding illegal felling of trees in the name of establishment of Pakhro Tiger Safari. Our efforts to bring out the facts in the case, instead of being appreciated, are on the contrary being questioned. We have always stuck to principles of science and fairness and have never erred in our estimations. The tone and tenor of your comments is tantamount to casting doubts and aspirations on our intentions, robust methodology and professionalism, which is not desirable.”

Uttarakhand principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Vinod Singhal couldn’t be contacted for his remarks on the issue.

A total of 6,093 trees are estimated to be felled for the tiger safari, FSI had said in the 81-page report submitted to the central and state governments.

Raising objections to this, Uttarakhand PCCF Vinod Singhal had said, “We want to know what timeline and which satellite images they have used, how they have arrived at this figure of 6,093, what method they have used in interpreting the data and issues like that.”

“According to our records, there was permission for the felling of 163 trees,” Kumar said. “But later we found that 97 more trees had been cut in the area. Now we want to understand how FSI has arrived at this 6,093 figure,” he had said.

The matter relates to a petition filed in the Delhi high court by Gaurav Bansal, Supreme Court advocate and wildlife activist. The high court on August 23 last year directed the National Tiger Conservation Authority to look into the issues of illegal construction, felling of trees and construction of approach roads in the tiger reserve based on the petition.

The authority constituted a committee on September 5, which inspected the reserve between September 26 and 30 and submitted a report on October 22 last year.

In October last year, the state forest department requested FSI to provide a clear status of the illegal felling of trees through analysis of satellite imagery in the Pakhro area, which falls in the buffer area of the Corbett Tiger Reserve. Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report on the illegal felling of over 6,000 trees in Corbett Tiger Reserve, the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) last month ordered that Pakhro Tiger Safari project may not be allowed to proceed until a three-member committee constituted by the green panel identifies the violators and recommends steps for the restoration of the environment there.

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