Ranchi: The construction of a 13-kilometer-long road from Lacharagarh to Badibiringa, with a cost running into crores of rupees, has been mired in controversy right from the start. According to the locals, the company undertaking the construction neither sought permission from the landowners nor completed any legal paperwork before beginning the work. As a result, hundreds of valuable building and fruit-bearing trees were felled.
The villagers claim that the remnants of the felled sal (sakhua) trees were destroyed by setting them on fire, while many large trees were buried in forest pits using JCB machines. The villagers also reported that their land was dug up without their consent.
Residents, including Neelima Hansda, Rajeev Baraik, Birsumuni Devi, Surendra Singh, and Narayan Singh, accused the authorities of not discussing compensation with them, nor holding any meetings. They also stated that no documents related to tree cutting or land acquisition were provided, leaving them uncertain about whether they would receive any compensation at all.
An on-site investigation by the media revealed the clearly visible felled trees. When asked about the matter, Simdega’s DFO, Shashank Shekhar, said he was unaware of the incident and that a detailed investigation would be conducted before any statement could be made. Kolebira MLA Naman Vixal Kongari mentioned that he had recently held a meeting with the land acquisition officer, the DFO, and engineers from the road construction department regarding the issue. If it is found that trees were felled without permission and the remnants were hidden, it would be a serious issue. A formal inquiry would be conducted upon receiving a written complaint.
When the media questioned the company about the unauthorized tree cutting and lack of paperwork, they shifted the blame onto the villagers. The company claimed that it was the villagers who had cut the trees themselves.