Tumakuru's Environment & Heritage Issues

Dear all, The nature lovers in our media have helped immensely in the recent expose of irregularities in Devarayanadurga's jungles. Media of Tumakuru City were among those who caught the forest minister's gunman felling trees inside Devarayanadurga State Forest this Wednesday. The stories carried out by Devaraj, District Correspondent of The New Indian Express and Chandru, TV9 Tumakuru correspondent were noticed by Karnataka's Anti-corruption department(Lokayukta). The Deputy Chief of Karnataka's Lokayukta (Upa-Lokayukta) has ordered an enquiry into this. Please read the story at the end of this email. In conservation, Ameen ---------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE: The New Indian Express, Bangalore - State, Page 6 Friday, October 19, 2007 -------Quote------- INQUIRY INTO CHARGES AGAINST CHENIGAPPA'S GUNMAN, OFFICIALS Bangalore, Oct 18: Upalokayukta Justice G Patri Basavana Goud on Tursday ordered a prelimnary inquiry against gunman of forme...

SOURCE: The New Indian Express, Bangalore - State, Page 6 October 18, 2007 http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20071018021527&Page=K&Headline=Chennigappa%92s+gunman+caught+felling+trees&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Karnataka&Topic=0 ------------------Quote--------------------- Chennigappa's gunman caught felling trees Express News Service Tumkur,Oct 17: President's rule seems to have no impact on former forest minister C Chenigappa's chelas. They continue to fell trees and lift them illegally from the Devarayanadurga reserve forest, 12 km from here. Hanumanthappa, gunman of the former minster, was caught red handed onWednesday, while felling tres and shifting logs from the forests. Some people hired by the gunman and some Forest Department workers werespotted axing the trees and loading the logs into a tractor. His home village Bandihalli is about 10 km from the spot. When environmentalists and mediamen qustioned him, Hanumanthappa claimed that he had ...

Dear all, Last Friday (12th October 2007) afternoon, I had been to the office ofthe Superintendent of Police, Lokayukta (Anti-corruption) Tumakuru, regarding the irregularities inside Devarayanadurga. After explaining him the situation, I offered to take him to Chinnaga. He readily accepted. I was surprised how a cop would accept to visit the forest with me in half an hour but the District's forest officials failed to do this even 4 months after filing the 1st written complaint (in June2007). Myself and Mallikarjun went with him. The situation was the same inChinnaga area- there was sand lifting from the areas where the road has been built, people are taking out felled trees and there is illegal stone lifting going besides the road. The SP saw all this.While returning back to Swandenahalli village the SP himself enquired with the village road contractor asking him about the persons behind the Chinnaga road. The local village contractor told that the particular contractor who carrie...

Dear nature lovers, The following is the text of complaint (Case no: COMPT/ LOK/ BD/112/2007) that I filed with Lokayukta Karnataka against the maladminstration and corruption inside Devarayanadurga State Forest. In conservation, Ameen ------------------------------------- From Ameen Ahmed Tumakuru – 5721 01 To The Lokayukta Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Road MS Building Bangalore – 5600 01 Date: 16 October, 2007 Sir, Sub: Complaint against maladministration and looting of public wealth in Devarayanadurga State Forest, Tumakuru Taluk Under the preview of the existing Forest Conservation Act (1980) and also under the Honourable Supreme Court of India’s order dated 12/12/1996 in the Godavarman Thirumalpad vs Union of India case prior clearance has to be taken to carry any development activity in a forest or to fell trees. In Tumakuru’s Devarayanadurga and its surrounding state forests today the law of the land seems non-existent due to a dysfunctional forest department. Th...

Since 1997, hundreds of mature trees have been felled in Devarayanadurga and its nearby state forests. Even as we write this, many are being felled. The trees are first debarked clandestinely and let to die a natural death. A view of one of the half cut trees. Then they are felled in the name of removing dry wood. A felled tree besides the Namadachelume - Devarayanadurga main road. Trees are being ruthlessly felled here even during daytime. Even on informing the forest department about these events, it is taking no action. Among such places is the Girlakatte valley . In early and mid-90s, this valley had so many trees that it used to be dark even in summer when we used to walk on the path under the canopy of these trees. The same has happened with the canopy behind Rama Lakshmana trees on the 5 th mile stone – Namadachelume road. The sad part is that the forest department is not even willing to stop those who are carrying away the felled trees. A happy tree man carrying away w...

The above picture is of the forests in revenue land besides Devarayanadurga village adjoining Devarayanadurga State Forest in Tumkur Taluk. Background: Devarayanadurga State Forest is about 42 sq. km large. There are many revenue lands adjoining the boundaries of this state forest that have forests in them. Though unprotected, rare wildlife like panthers, sloth bears and Yellowthroated Bulbuls thrive in them and they are the source of many streams and water courses.  According to the H'ble Supreme Court's judgement in the Godavaraman Thirumalpad vs Union of India, any Government land that has tree cover is a 'deemed forest'. Nature lovers of Tumakuru want the Government of Karnataka to declare these 'revenue' forests as Reserve Forest using its powers under section 4 of Karnataka Forest Act (1963). Please read the below release on this issue. Press Release The Tumkauru Division of Karnataka Forest Department had stated in its reply to an applicatio...

Dear WANCers, Please find below the responses recieved by Ameen's querries filed with the DCF under the RTI in Aug 07. Some of the responses are very interesting. It has been replied that only 11 dead Jalari trees have been removed from the whole of Tumkur Division since 1997, while it is also replied that 12 Jalari trees have been removed from Devarayanadurga alone during the same period. Also it has been replied that there has been no Eucalyptus removal from the entire Tumkur Division from 1997 to 2003. But details have been provided for the eucalyptus removed for 1997-98 and 2000-2001. Are you confused? Read on.... Regards, Ameen Replies to information asked by Shri.Ameen Ahamed, Ghouse Buildings, Horpet Main Road, Tumkur Sl No. Information asked Reply 1. How many tree-felling cases have been booked since 1997 till date in the above forests? A) Devarayanadurga 32 B) Panditanahalli 02 C) R.D Betta 03 2. How many of these cases have been proved...