Forest department officials pulling out a sandalwood tree from a plot in Idukki.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
After a wait lasting over a year and a half, the Forest department has pulled out a sandalwood tree, worth around ₹1 crore, from a private property at Marayur. The tree was felled on an application by the property owner, citing threats from smugglers.
Marayur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) M.G. Vinod Kumar said the tree was shifted to the sandal depot at Marayur. “The 150-year-old tree was around 150 inches wide and 5 metres tall,” said Mr. Kumar.
“The tree will be processed into different classes of sandalwood and produced in the next auction. It is expected to yield Vilayat Budha, the first quality sandalwood, too,” said Mr. Kumar.
Application in 2021
In July 2021, Perur Soman, a farmer, and resident at Kundakkad, near Marayur, in Idukki wrote to the then Marayur DFO B. Renjith demanding that the tree be removed from his land since it was under threat of being smuggled. The Forest department filed an application with the Devikulam Subcollector and the tahsildar demanding permission to pull out the tree. Last week, Devikulam Subcollector Rahul Krishna Sharma directed tahsildar to issue permission to uproot the tree, leading to the procedures.
As per rules, the title deed holder is duty-bound to protect royal trees, including sandalwood, on the Land Assignment (LA) title deed lands, though their ownership rests with the Revenue department. If the farmer cannot protect the trees, they can submit an application to the Forest department, which will take steps to remove it.
In three situations
“The property had three sandalwood trees. Two were stolen, one after tying up the family inside the house,” said a Forest department official. “Normally the Revenue department gives permission to fell these trees only in three situations. If the tree is causing a threat to life and property, if the tree dies, or if the landowner plans any construction in the area. Permission is rarely granted for applications citing smugglers’ threat,” said a Revenue department source.
