TURA: The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council has decided to cut down several hundred mature trees within its reserve forests in different parts of the region to boost revenue collection in the face of acute financial crisis.
The decision to go ahead with the felling of trees was taken by the NPP-led executive committee of the GHADC in a crucial meeting held on Tuesday in the office of the chief executive member Dipul R Marak.
The decision is expected to invite widespread condemnation and strong opposition from Garo NGOs and pressure groups which have already warned against such a move that could impact the fragile ecological balance of the region at a time of global warming and freak weather conditions being experienced in the region owing to fast dwindling forest cover.
“We have decided to go for public auction of only the most matured trees in our council reserves that will be felled and the revenue generated will be utilised for boosting the council’s financial position. Certain measures have been taken to ensure only those matured trees having 120 cm and above which will be auctioned for felling,” Marak told The Shillong Times on Wednesday.
According to Marak, as many as 800 to 900 mature trees in the council forest reserves at Damalgre range, Naguapara, Phulbari and Samanda will be auctioned for sale within this month itself.
“We are compelled to go for the auction because the GHADC is facing a severe financial crunch with very limited options to generate revenue. Over 18 months of salaries have not been paid to over 2,000 employees,” said the GHADC chief while justifying the decision to auction mature trees in the reserve forests.
Forest and Environment Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, when contacted said he was unaware of the development and had to find out, reports our correspondent in Shillong. However, “all the councils have their own forest department that can take decisions and I hope GHADC will follow the rules”.
The council has not made it clear whether it will take up aforestation to compensate the felled trees.
