Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM), a coalition of social organisations to defend people’s rights, has alleged that a nexus between forest officials and the timber mafia is leading to the illegal felling of sal trees in Gumla district.

The JJM in a tweet on Thursday tagged Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren about the illegal cutting and transportation of sal (sakhua) trees at Rajadera village in Janawal panchayat under Kurumgadh forest range in Chainpur block of Gumla district, around 180km from state capital Ranchi.

The chief minister also holds the forest portfolio.

“In Raja Dera village of Gumla’s Chainpur, sakhua trees are being illegally cut and transported out. The area where this is happening includes raiyati and forest land. The Gram Sabha is unaware of this cutting. At least 20-25 tree trunks are lying around. Cutting of trees by machines at this scale points to a corrupt nexus of wood mafia, bichauliyas & officials at play,” the tweet states.

The tweet also points out the violation of the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (known as PESA Act), which is implemented in tribal areas of Jharkhand and aims to safeguard and preserve the traditions and customs of tribal communities by empowering panchayats with specific powers.

“Neither has Gram Sabha’s consent been taken nor has it been informed. A severe violation of both the PESA & Forest Rights Act,” it states.

“We demand from the @HemantSorenJMM govt to immediately inquire into this loot, take action against perpetrators and responsible officials and ensure community rights of Gram Sabha over the forest. Implementation of PESA and FRA in letter and spirit is required,” the tweet added.

A member of JJM, Rose Xaxa, said residents of both Rajadera and Nawada had threatened to block the roads to prevent trucks from entering the villages and take away the timber.

“The tribals are unhappy at the cutting of trees and have decided to resist by blocking the roads for trucks to prevent them from carrying away the trees. The forest officials claim that it is a raiyat land but a visit to the area proves that only part of the land belongs to raiyat (original landowners). A portion of the land in which trees are being cut also falls under forest area. It shows that there is a nexus between forest officials and the timber mafias and even trees in forest areas are being allowed to be cut on the pretext of coming under raiyat land,” Xaxa said.

Gumla deputy commissioner Shishir Kumar Sinha said he was unaware about the incident.

“I am not aware of the incident and would ask the Gumla divisional forest officer (Shrikant) to look into the episode after he returns from leave,” said the deputy commissioner.

Contacted over phone, Gumla divisional forest officer (DFO) Shrikant claimed that the original raiyat had taken permission from the forest department for the felling of trees.

“He had taken permission for felling 60 sal trees coming under his area for sale. After waiting for three months for the forest corporation, we gave permission to the raiyat to fell the trees,” said Shrikant.

On whether cutting of trees without the consent of the gram sabhas was a violation of PESA act, the DFO said: “PESA act does not apply in Jharkhand.”