Date:08/07/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/07/08/stories/2003070804940400.htm

Southern States - Kerala

Forests not safe in Sudhakaran's hands: VS

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM July 7. The Leader of the Opposition, V. S. Achuthanandan, today said "the forests of the State were not safe in the hands of the Forest Minister, K. Sudhakaran'' and went on to accuse him of aiding and abetting the activities of mafia groups plundering the forest resources here.

He made this accusation in the State Assembly while participating in the discussion on demands for grants for the Forest Department.

Mr. Achuthanandan said there was corruption involved in the sale of Gwalior Rayons' softwood for a throwaway price through an auction conducted by the Forest Department recently. "According to my information, the company was bound to pay an estimated Rs. 18 crores to the Government for the softwood procured by it from the forests. The stock left behind when the company closed its operations at Mavoor, however, fetched only Rs. 98 lakhs at the auction,'' he said.

He recalled that at an earlier auction, the sale of the same quantity of softwood was finalised for a paltry sum of Rs. 21 lakhs. The wood was re-auctioned only due to the allegations raised against the deal in the State Assembly.

"When the issue was brought up in the House earlier, you had said the wood was absolutely worth nothing and the Government should consider itself fortunate that the auction had fetched a sum of Rs. 21 lakhs. Yet the re-auction brought Rs. 98 lakhs, which too was tantamount to playing a fraud on the State.''

Mr. Achuthanandan alleged that Mr. Sudhakaran had struck up a deal with the Gwalior Rayons' management to portray the softwood stocked in its yards as worthless and somehow exempt the company from paying the amount due to the Government. "There should be either a judicial inquiry or a probe by an Assembly panel into this deal,'' he said.

He also alleged that the robbery at the Olavakkode office complex of the Forest Department nine months ago was an operation executed with Mr. Sudhakaran's "blessings''.

The robbers, who broke open a strong room of the department, took away sandal oil and ivory worth more than Rs. 3.5 crores. "More than the value of the stolen articles, the robbers had another objective. The stolen articles happened to be evidence in 35 cases involving forest offences. Through the disappearance of the articles, the accused in all these cases would go unpunished. There has not been even a single arrest in connection with this robbery,'' he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan further accused the Forest Minister of "bluffing'' even the State legislature by stating "lies''.

``The other day, when faced with the allegation that there was bribery involved in the transfer of Forest officials, you told the House only 18 of the 199 range officers in the State were transferred this year. However, between May 9 and June 19 itself, you had effected 49 transfers, according to the details which have come into my notice. There could have been more,'' he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan recalled that, replying to charges the other day, Mr. Sudhakaran had told the House that the former Divisional Forest Officer of Palakkad, who had initiated steps to close down two sandal oil factories in his region in February, this year, was "not given any transfer orders this year''.

But this officer was slapped with two transfer orders since then, one immediately after his action against the sandal oil units and the other three months later, Mr. Achuthanandan said, giving the particulars of both the orders.

``You protect the corrupt officials who join you in your operations and harass those with integrity,'' Mr. Achuthanandan said.