A forest patrol team arrested Chhotu Yadav (35) on Monday, Sept 28, for allegedly felling a live Saal tree in Matnaag protected forest under Kundri forest range, officials said.Yadav, a resident of Matnaag village, was allegedly caught chopping the tree, estimated to be 20 to 25 years old. Patrol team in-charge Om Prakash Singh said he was booked under Section 33 of the Forest Act and remanded in judicial custody late on Monday.Officials said the team seized five logs from the felled tree and an axe allegedly used by Yadav. The timber was deposited at Kundri forest range office. Tree felling and logging are prohibited under Section 33 as Matnaag is a protected forest, they said.Medininagar divisional forest officer Satyam Kumar said the department had received precise information about the felling. The team acted immediately and caught Yadav with an axe and logs extracted from the tree, he said.Kumar said the department would firmly curb the felling, logging and transportation of trees and timber. He urged villagers to refrain from forest offences.An alleged repeat forest offender, speaking anonymously, said people sometimes felled trees because they urgently needed timber for door and roof frames and could not afford steel frames. He suggested Yadav might receive legal relief as only one tree was felled.A group of advocates, however, said compounding was not an accused’s right or privilege. The designated forest officer had final authority to decide whether the case was suitable for compounding.A group of advocates, however, said compounding was not a right or privilege of an accused. The designated forest officer had final authority to decide whether the case was suitable for compounding. EOM
