Greens demand CBI probe into tree-felling case

They say probe by a Kerala govt.-instituted team will be farcical as involvement of top officials is suspected

While the illegal felling of centuries-old rosewood trees in Wayanad roils the Kerala Assembly, environmental organisations in the district have sought an investigation by the Vigilance wing of the police or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the scandal under the supervision of the High Court, instead of a probe by the special investigation team constituted by the State government. “The massive felling of ancient rosewood trees in Wayanad by misinterpreting a government order by the timber lobby, with the alleged support of a group of top brass at the Secretariat and the Forest Department, is not an isolated incident. Similar cases have been reported from other districts too,” N. Badusha, president, Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti, said in a memorandum submitted to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Since the involvement of officials of the Revenue and Forest departments and top leaders of political parties was suspected in the case, an investigation by lower rank officials would make the probe farcical, Mr. Badusha said.