Sokpay JHS SMC members accuses Land Use & Environment Chairman for illegally acquiring almost 120 cubic timber

GANGTOK, December 10: Kedarnath Tiwari , SMC member Sokpay JHS accuses Land Use & Environment Chairman Tshering Dorjee Lepcha for illegally acquiring almost 120 cubic timber from the pine trees that was cut down from the premises of Sokpay JHS, South Sikkim without seeking any permission from the concerned authorities.

Organising a presser at capital today Kedarnath Tiwari , SMC member Sokpay JHS, about 40 years old pine trees fell down using machines from the premises of the school without informing the school management and permission from the concerned departments.

“It’s a case of daylight robbery wherein our monumental trees have been cut down and then the timber acquired from it has been delivered to Chairman Lepcha for his personal use. Such doings are intolerable and unacceptable to which we demand fair investigation and justice at the earliest”, stressed Tiwari
Tiwari further informed how upon enquiring the saw men at work, he found out that they were cutting the trees in the absence of legal permissions and also revealed that the timber were being delivered to Chairman Lepcha.

“As per my personal complaint made verbally to the officials from the administration of our area and Forest department, they denied receiving any such reports and permission for felling of trees which proves the act to be illegal”, he added.

Furthermore, Tiwari informed that he and his friend Som Bahadur Rai have registered a complaint at the local PS demanding strict action against Lepcha as per norms of the Forest department wherein he should also be suspended from his post until the enquiry is over.