Villagers cry foul over deforestation

Aurangabad: Villagers from Kasabkheda have reached out to the district collector after their pleas over deforestation in the vicinity by alleged wood mafias have fallen on deaf hears. The village is situated on the Shirdi Ellora road.
The villagers have alleged that wood mafias have been rampantly chopping trees in their vicinity, causing serious deforestation in and around their village.Fearing backlash many villagers have refused to openly take a stand on the issue.
District collector Naval Kishore Ram said that the act of illegally chopping trees is criminal. He said, “We cannot tolerate the illegal chopping of trees.”
Village talathi Rajendra Karale told TOI, “There is a problem of illegal cutting of trees. In the latest complaint, I have personally paid a visit to the private farm for carrying out a panchanama, wherein a person has claimed that the trees were on his land and he has chopped them without any permission.”
Village police patil Santosh Satdive (41) said, “Trees are being chopped without due process and whenever we try to take up the issue to the authorities, people fearing consequences refrain from coming forward.”
A farmer Masood Kadri on Tuesday lodged a complaint against chopping of trees in the vicinity of his farm. In spite of several attempts, the forest department officials could not be reached for comment.