Women resist illegal felling of trees in Mandi

Mandi, Feb 2 (UNI) The activists of Krishi Vikas Mahila Mandal are patrolling the Chetrgah forest belt in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh to prevent illegal felling of trees after noticing large scale cutting of trees in the dense forest area.

''The organisation has constituted an action committee to maintain strict vigil in the Chetrgah forest area to prevent any further damage to the forest,'' Mahila Mandal's president Sonam Dolma told UNI here.

She said powerful forest mafia had recently felled over 400 deodar trees in Chetgarh in Mandi Forest Division at a distance of 500 to 600 metre to escape attention of the forest authorities.

The stumps had been charred and painted with earth and covered with leaves and grass, while the green branches of the trees were lying scattered every where, Ms Dolma said.

She said this was continuing despite a complete ban on green felling by the state government and the TD (timber distribution) Rights by HP High Court.

However, Conservator of Forest C S Singh expressed ignorance over the illegal felling of the trees in the forest area and said action would be taken against the guilty people.

The area where the illegal felling of trees has occurred has a total population of about 1,600 and has six sawing machines and three sale depots spread over ten km radius.

UNI