By: Himvani
Virbhadra Singh adviced BJP to stop acting like Sherlock Holmes when the opposition party staged a walkout from the assembly over illegal felling of trees in Chamba district and BJP should stop reminding us over and again about taking action against the forest mafia.
The ruckus started during the question hour when Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri said that 5,051 cases of illegal tree felling have been registered between Jan 1, 2013 and Oct 31, 2014. Responding to this Ravinder Ravi, a member from BJP said that the illegal tree felling was going unnoticed under the Congress rule. BJP members then stood up and started slogans against the government.
Responding to this agitation the Chief Minister later gave details about the illicit felling of trees during previous BJP rule. He also said that BJP is trying to raise the issue of tree felling as a part of political conspiracy. As many as 1,744 cases of illicit felling of trees were reported from 2007-2012 with total volume of 7,722 cubic meter, involving value of Rupees 24.23 crore. The timber seized was 3,188.6 cubic meter with a value of Rupees 10.86 crore during the BJP government.
