Shimla, Mar 19 (PTI) BJP legislators on Thursday lodged their protest against “illegal” felling of trees in the Shallai area of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, and said that more than 300 pine trees were cut under the nose of the administration.
BJP MLAs holding placards with slogans like “Congress hatao mafia bhagao, Commissionkhori band karo janta ka paisa bachao”, led by Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, raised slogans against the Congress.
Terming the alleged illegal felling of hundreds of pine trees in Shillai a “grave matter”, Thakur said that the manner in which trees were cut down in broad daylight makes it evident that the entire episode reeks of political patronage and alleged that a Congress leader was behind the incident.
The BJP leaders said that permission was given to cut 25 trees, but more than 300 trees were cut in a private land located merely 500 meters away from the SDM office, the police station, and the Forest Range office.
Nathuram Chauhan, an environmental activist from the Shillai area, had alleged that a large number of trees were illegally felled in Shillai under political patronage and demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter after purported videos of felled trees went viral on the internet.
Earlier, Thakur had also alleged that political protection was being extended in the matter and that attempts were being made to dilute the investigation. He said that if the government has the moral courage, it should take strict action against those responsible. PTI BPL — MNK MNK
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