Satgarh Village Residents File Complaint Against Power Grid Corporation Over Alleged Illegal Tree Felling
Residents of Satgarh village in Pithoragarh district have raised serious allegations against the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), accusing the state-owned company of illegally felling trees in the nearby forest area. The villagers have submitted a formal complaint to Pithoragarh's divisional forest office, demanding immediate action against what they describe as unauthorized destruction of their community forest.
Village Head Reports Unauthorized Tree Cutting Incident
According to village head Anju Devi, the incident occurred on Thursday when local residents observed labourers cutting down nearly 20 trees in the forest area through which a 400 kV transmission line passes. The trees reportedly included valuable oak species that are protected under forest conservation regulations.
"This is our village forest and locals have always protected it," Devi stated emphatically. "The corporation had no permission to cut these trees. When villagers opposed the activity, the labourers left the site immediately."
The village head confirmed that the community has formally informed the divisional forest office about the matter, seeking proper investigation and appropriate action against the corporation for what they believe constitutes illegal forest destruction.
Forest Department Initiates Enquiry Into Conflicting Claims
Divisional forest officer Ashutosh Singh responded to the allegations by clarifying the corporation's original request. "The company had sought permission for lopping, not for felling trees," Singh explained. "An enquiry has been initiated to verify the villagers' allegations and determine exactly what occurred in the forest area."
The forest officer's statement highlights the discrepancy between what permission was requested and what allegedly transpired on the ground, raising questions about compliance with forest conservation protocols.
Power Grid Corporation Denies Tree Felling Allegations
Meanwhile, the Power Grid Corporation has categorically denied the villagers' allegations of tree felling. Sandeep Kothari, PGCIL deputy general manager, presented a different version of events occurring in the area.
"We were conducting thermal mapping and photography in the area, not lopping or felling trees," Kothari asserted. "While we did ask for permission for lopping in that specific area, we did not receive authorization for such activities."
The corporation's statement creates a conflicting narrative about what activities were actually taking place in the forest, with villagers reporting tree cutting while the company claims only technical survey work was being conducted.
Community Concerns Over Forest Protection
The incident has highlighted several important issues:
- Local communities' rights and responsibilities regarding forest protection
- Corporation compliance with environmental regulations
- Transparency in infrastructure development activities
- Proper authorization processes for forest area activities
- Community participation in environmental conservation efforts
Satgarh villagers have demonstrated their commitment to protecting their local forest resources, which they consider vital to their community's environmental and cultural heritage. The complaint represents their determination to hold corporations accountable for any unauthorized activities in protected forest areas.
The forest department's ongoing enquiry will need to reconcile these conflicting accounts and determine whether any violations of forest conservation laws occurred during the corporation's activities in the transmission line corridor area.
