Villagers detain forest officials amid protest over deforestation in Rajanna-Sircilla’s Manala

Residents of Manala village in Rajanna-Sircilla district staged a protest against alleged deforestation and land encroachment, accusing forest officials of colluding with unknown persons. The villagers claimed that thousands of acres of Eucalyptus plantations were cleared and borewells dug with official support.

Rajanna-Sircilla: Youth and local residents from Manala of Rudrangi mandal on Saturday staged a protest at gram panchayat alleging that trees in thousands of acres of forest lands were chopped off by unknown persons with the support of forest officials. Agitating villagers also detained forest officials in the gram panchayat office.

Speaking on the occasion, they said that unknown persons had cut down Eucalyptus trees cultivated in thousands of acres of forest lands by the forest department officials in the outskirts of Manala village. Besides levelling the ground, borewells were also dug in those lands. The entire process was carried out with the support of forest beat officer Mounika and other staff members, they alleged.

Accepting bribes from land grabbers, forest officials were least bothered about the encroachment of forest lands despite their repeated appeals during the last two years. FRO Kalimuddin, who promised to solve the problem, did nothing beyond conducting meetings during the last two years.

They criticised officials for releasing seized bikes to encroachers in exchange for hefty bribes. Local CI Venkateshwarlu visited the spot and examined forest land where trees were being cleared and land levelled. He also spoke to district forest officer Balamani. Villagers withdrew their protest when the CI assured to plant trees in encroached lands and protect them by arranging fencing.