Opposition Congress and BJP members on Saturday severely criticised State Government for allowing tree cutting at Balampur under Odapada tehsil in Dhenkanal district for establishment of brewery.
Initiating discussion on an Adjournment Motion, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra alleged that there was a nexus between the contractor, the company and Government officials that led to cutting of 40 to 60-year-old valuable sal and piasal trees on 12.05 acres of land. He too alleged that the Forest and Environment Minister submitted misleading information in the House.
“I had visited the area. What I found is the trees were of 40 to 60 years’ old grown on forestland and were being taken care of local persons as they were earning their living on the said trees. It raises many questions as to who gave permission to cut such valuable trees. The offenders should be booked,” demanded Mishra.
While in his reply, Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Rolutray said the kissam of land was ‘Patita’ not forestland, Mishra cited a direction of the Supreme Court and said forest meant ‘many trees grown on a large track of land’. “Presence of thousands of trees on the site clearly says it was a forest land. Record on kissam doesn’t matter as Government change it,” he pointed out.
He also wanted to know how the Pollution Control Board accorded clearance for the project. He demanded that an investigation be done into the whole incident, criminal cases filed against culprits and false cases filed against villagers be lifted soon. He too demanded that the villagers be allowed to manage forests and enjoy forest products.
BJP Legislature Party Leader KV Singh Deo wanted to know if a direction was issued for cutting of trees from the Third Floor (CM office). He demanded a judicial probe be conducted to bring the truths to the fore. Congress Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati, BJP’s Pradeep Purohit and Kailash Chandra Kulesika of Congress too rapped the Government for felling of the valuable trees.
But BJD members Amar Prasad Satphaty, Saroj Kumar Samal, Braja Kishore Pradhan and Dibya Shankar Mishra refuted the Opposition charges.
Minister Routray said an industrial estate on 62.79 acres of land has been set up at Balarampur and 12.05 acres of land has been provided to P & A Bottler Pvt Ltd. Idco had given permission for a brewery plant and the land doesn’t come under forest category. “A permission from the Forest Department was bit required for cutting of trees as the kissam of the land was ‘Patita’ and Pollution Board doesn’t give any permission before commissioning of a project. No wrong has been committed and thus it needs no more discussion,” the Minister said. Speaker Pradeep Kumar Amat disallowed the motion.
