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Illegal forest road: PUCL seeks action against accused

Staff Reporter

`Political pressure being exerted to save accused'

MALAPPURAM: The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has urged Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to intervene in the illegal construction of a road through the reserve forests of Nilambur.

In a memorandum submitted to Mr. Achuthanandan, the PUCL has demanded stern action against the forest officers who helped the private parties construct a 410-metre road through the forest.

P.A. Pouran, president of the PUCL, said people were extensively encroaching Nilambur forest with the connivance of some forest officers.

Mr. Pouran said that earlier investigations by the Forest Department had found a divisional forest officer and a ranger guilty of aiding private parties encroach the forest area by constructing the road.

Mr. Pouran pointed out that instead of bringing the culprits to book on the basis of the inquiry reports, Chief Conservator of Forests R.R. Shukla had succumbed to the pressure of the Indian Forest Service lobby. He said that pressure was being exerted to save the accused.

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