A member of the Pilibhit district environment committee has formally requested a high-level investigation into the illegal cutting of 5,500 trees in Kareli village. Shivam Kashyap sent an email to Uttar Pradesh principal chief conservator of forests Sunil Chaudhary on Saturday. He alleged forest officials were involved in the matter and demanded legal action against all responsible parties.
Background of the Plantation
Kashyap explained the trees were originally planted in 2002. The district forest and wildlife division carried out the plantation on 12 acres of land belonging to the Kareli village panchayat. This happened under the Van Mahotsav drive. After three years of growth, authorities handed over the plantation to the panchayat in 2005.
In 2021, the village panchayat head ordered the felling of these trees. This action occurred without permission from the forest department. The purpose was to cultivate Napier grass, according to Kashyap's complaint.
Initial Complaints and Official Response
Village panchayat member Krishna Kumar Sharma first flagged the issue in 2024. He approached the district magistrate with his concerns. On October 29, 2025, the DM sought a report from divisional forest officer Bharat Kumar DK.
The DFO submitted a reply dated December 23, 2025. He stated that sub-divisional forest officer Ramesh Chauhan conducted a spot verification. Chauhan had been appointed chairperson of an inquiry committee on October 30, 2025. The DFO also mentioned a penalty of Rs 93,407 imposed on the village panchayat. This amount represented the cost of raising 5,500 saplings.
Criticism of the Penalty
Kashyap strongly criticized this penalty as completely inadequate. He argued it merely covered the cost of saplings. The trees were actually 19 years old when they were felled. "The DFO failed to take into consideration the stock of timber procured by the felling of trees," Kashyap wrote. He added the officer ignored "the great damage caused to the green cover of the district." Kashyap insisted the role of forest authorities must be thoroughly investigated.
Questions About Timber Auction
Kashyap also raised serious questions about the auction of timber from the felled trees. He said SDFO Chauhan produced a receipt dated December 23, 2022. The Bisalpur circle tehsildar signed this receipt. It showed a payment of Rs 50,200 to the government for the auction of 5,500 fully grown trees.
Kashyap questioned how a 19-year-old tree could be auctioned for approximately Rs 9. "I will also raise this issue in the next meeting of the district environment committee," he stated. The DM heads this committee.
Current Status and Expert Opinion
Notably, the village panchayat has not yet deposited the penalty amount. The 15-day deadline for payment has already expired. No legal action has been taken so far.
Amid this inaction, experts have questioned the rationale behind felling trees to plant Napier grass. This perennial tropical variety is commonly known as elephant grass. Shailendra Singh Dhaka, a plant physiologist at Krashi Vigyan Kendra, offered his perspective. He said the grass could easily be grown in the space between rows of trees. This approach would have preserved the existing tree cover.
