Shillong, June 29 : The executive committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council today decided to institute an independent probe into alleged felling at Byrnihat and Lailad areas of Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
The issue along with previous inquiry reports were discussed at today’s council session.
The forest areas of Lailad and Byrnihat are managed by the council.
The council’s executive member in-charge, forest, Jansing M. Tynsong, while replying to a question, said an independent inquiry would be conducted.
“We will seek the help of a retired senior forest official to head an independent probe,” Tynsong said.
According to Tynsong, the findings of the departmental inquiry carried out by the council in 2007 on felling was questioned by another inquiry committee instituted by the state government a year later.
“The findings of the state government-instituted inquiry committee had raised objections to the departmental inquiry’s statement that the trees were cut down in the Lailad forest area under the district council to help the Meghalaya State Electricity Board set up of 33 KV and 11KV sub-stations in the area,” Tynsong said.
According to the findings of the government-initiated probe, felling in Lailad was carried out beyond areas earmarked for setting up of the two power sub-stations.
It has also raised objections to the previous inquiry’s observations on felling in Byrnihat.
The departmental inquiry, in its report, had reasoned that some old trees in the forest area of Byrnihat under the council had to be removed to facilitate growth of saplings.
The government inquiry did not agree and asserted that there was rampant felling in 2007 in Byrnihat leading to a considerable decline in the forest cover.
Former chief minister Donkupar Roy had instituted a government-level inquiry in 2008 into felling at Lailad and Byrnihat.