It’s a trauma Soman of Kanthallur, near Marayur, goes through everyday. For, the farmer has to keep guard of a huge sandalwood tree in front of the house, the worth of which has been estimated around ₹1 crore.
His trouble started when smugglers stole two other sandalwood trees not as big as the abovesaid one from the plot.
As per the rules governing the protection of royal trees, including sandalwood, on LA (land assignment) title deed land, it is the obligation of the title deed holder to protect it.
Soman says he had spent many sleepless nights guarding the trees. But when it heavily rained one night, smugglers with soundless machines cut and removed them.
When royal trees are stolen from LA title deed land, it is the Revenue Department that takes a police case against the title deed holder as the land is given to him for farming and the property belongs to the department.
After Soman approached the Forest Department, the Marayur Sandalwood Division wrote a letter to the revenue authority for extracting the tree. On receiving permission of the revenue authority, the tree can be extracted by the Forest Department.
Forest officials collected the remaining portion of the stolen sandalwood trees and shifted it to the sandal division a few days back. The roots alone weighed 274 kg. The sandalwood tree in front of the house of Soman is the largest one on private land in Marayur.
Marayur Divisional Forest Officer B. Ranjith says a letter has been sent to the Devikulam Subcollector for permission to extract the tree. It will be removed to the sandalwood division on receiving the necessary orders, he said.
“Sandalwood grown on private land are removed to the sandalwood division and put on auction. However, only naturally dead or fallen ones are taken by the forest division and farmers are paid the amount when the wood is auctioned. However, it is the farmers’ responsibility to preserve the tree. If it is lost, the title deed holder will be held accountable,” says a forest official.
Published - August 30, 2021 07:35 pm IST
