THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: UDF has appointed a three-member fact-finding team to probe into the illegal tree felling at Muttil in Wayanad.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan, who is also the chairman of the UDF, said the team comprises environmentalist Prof E Kunhikrishnan, former special government pleader at high court Susheela Bhatt and retired IFS officer O Jayaraj.
The committee has been appointed after having discussion with all the constituent leaders and the report prepared by the expert committee will be published before the people of the state, said Satheesan.
Satheesan also inaugurated the state-wide protests organized by the UDF seeking a judicial probe into the illegal tree felling and also to find out the role of the CPI ministers in this.
KPCC president K Sudhakaran said it was shocking to know the reports that the illegal tree felling has happened with the knowledge of the then forest minister’s office.
Flouting all the norms, the forest department had helped the forest mafia for the illegal tree felling for which the minister’s office had given all support.
It has become evident that the people who masterminded the illegal tree felling had influenced the minister, said Sudhakaran.
The CPM and CPI had utilized the crores of rupees which they received through this deal in the elections and hence there has to be a comprehensive probe to bring out the truth before the people of the state, said the KPCC president.