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Bengaluru: After a report by senior journalist Ballachanda Darshan Devaiah in The Hindu, which alleged that the Forest Department had authorized the felling of 1,118 trees in a coffee plantation in Kodagu district, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has directed the chief conservator of forests (CCF) to investigate the issue.
Mr. Darshan Devaiah, Principal Correspondent for The Hindu in Bengaluru, exposed that the Forest Department granted permission for the removal of 864 trees of various species and 254 rosewood trees in Nokya, near Siddapura village in Ponnampet taluk, south Kodagu.
On August 6, The Hindu published an article titled "Forest Department Approves Cutting of 1,118 Trees in Kodagu Plantation; Environmentalists Raise Concerns."
Following the report, Mr. Khandre directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) to assign a Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) to investigate the matter and submit a report within four days.
Mr. Khandre stated in his order, “A CCF officer should conduct the investigation and submit a report within four days. If it is determined that the landowners cut down trees without proper authorization, or that officials granted permission unlawfully, the department must take strict action against those responsible.”
The Cauvery Sene, an environmental group based in Kodagu, has strongly opposed the Forest Department’s alleged decision to permit tree cutting. They argue that the area’s proximity to the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, designated as an eco-sensitive zone by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, requires stricter protection.
Ballachanda Darshan Devaiah is a multimedia journalist based in Bengaluru and currently working as Principal Correspondent for The Hindu. His various reports have drawn significant attention to the ongoing environmental challenges in Kodagu district, prompting immediate legal and administrative scrutiny.
In July, the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo moto cognizance of a report by Mr. Darshan Devaiah, which uncovered allegations of illegal tree felling and burning near the Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Kodagu district. The report notes that the Mundrote Forest Range, where these activities are alleged to have occurred, is known for its rich biodiversity, including approximately 6,000 species of trees and plants.
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