🌳 Felling of Trees in Gorakhpur’s Baki Range: A Grave Environmental Concern

The reported large-scale and illegal felling of green trees, including protected species like Sal/Sakhua (Shorea robusta), in the Baki Range of the Gorakhpur Division is a serious issue that directly impacts the local and regional environment. This grievance highlights how administrative shortcomings, such as the prolonged ad-hoc posting of a Deputy Ranger, may be contributing to the degradation of a “super sensitive area” that borders Nepal.

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1. 🌍 Ecological and Environmental Impacts

Illegal tree felling, particularly in sensitive forest areas, results in a cascading effect of environmental degradation. The reported felling of green trees in the Daulatpur beat of Baki Range poses several significant threats to the ecosystem:

Environmental Impact	Description of Effect
Loss of Biodiversity	Forests are vital habitats. The felling of mature trees, like Sal, leads to habitat destruction and fragmentation, endangering countless species of flora and fauna that depend on these trees for food, shelter, and breeding.
Increased Soil Erosion	Tree roots stabilize the soil. Their removal exposes the forest floor to rain and wind, leading to soil erosion. This can cause the degradation of soil fertility and lead to the sedimentation of nearby rivers and streams, harming aquatic life and water quality.
Impact on Water Cycle	Forests play a critical role in regulating the local water cycle, influencing rainfall patterns and groundwater recharge. Deforestation can disrupt this balance, leading to both increased flooding and water scarcity in the region.
Climate Change Contribution	Trees are natural carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide ($\text{CO}_2$) from the atmosphere. Illegal logging releases this stored carbon back into the atmosphere, directly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and accelerated climate change (global warming).
Microclimate Alteration	The loss of the forest canopy alters the forest’s microclimate, leading to increased ground temperature and reduced humidity. This can stress the remaining vegetation and wildlife, making the area more susceptible to drought and forest fires.
Ecosystem Fragmentation	Illegal logging fragments the forest, isolating animal populations. This isolation can reduce genetic diversity and disrupt migration patterns, making species more vulnerable to local extinction.

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2. ⚖️ Legal Framework and Accountability Concerns

The complaint raises crucial questions regarding the enforcement of environmental law and administrative accountability:

• Violation of The U. P. Protection of Trees Act, 1976: The grievance explicitly mentions that the illegal felling of green trees warrants the registration of an FIR under this Act. The Act regulates the felling and replanting of trees. While the penalties under the original Act have been noted as “immensely lenient” (six months imprisonment or a fine which may extend to ₹10,000, as per the latest available general legal documents), the need for stricter enforcement and adherence to its provisions is paramount.
• Ad-Hoc Posting of Deputy Ranger: The core administrative concern is the four-year posting of a lower-ranking Deputy Ranger, Jagdamba Pathak, as the in-charge Ranger for the super sensitive Baki Range, which is near the Nepal border. The DFO’s defense that a higher-level officer’s deployment is a government-level decision is contested by the complainant, who views this lack of a permanent, full-rank Ranger as a failure of supervision contributing to the environmental crime.

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3. 🔎 Key Information Demanded by the Grievance

The complainant, Yogi M. P. Singh, has used the RTI framework (Section 4(1)(d) of the RTI Act, 2005) to demand specific administrative information to ensure transparency and accountability:

1. List of un-posted Rangers and their current posting details.
2. Reason for the long-term charge given to Deputy Ranger Jagdamba Pathak, citing the Right to Reason as an indispensable part of a sound administrative system.
3. Name and designation of public personnel supervising Ranger postings at the government level.
4. Demand letter made by the local office to fill the Ranger vacancy in the Baki range, which has been vacant for four years.

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The illegal felling of trees in the Baki Range is a clear illustration of how administrative lapses can directly facilitate severe environmental damage, underscoring the immediate need for a comprehensive investigation, the registration of FIRs against offenders, and the swift resolution of the prolonged vacancy in the Ranger post.

Stopping illegal tree felling and addressing administrative issues like the one in the Baki Range requires utilizing the official grievance redressal and departmental contact channels.

Here are the key contact details, web links, and reporting methods for the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Forest Department:

1. 📢 Primary Grievance Redressal Portal (Jansunwai)

The most effective way to report administrative issues and environmental concerns in Uttar Pradesh is through the state government’s integrated grievance system. The original complaint you provided was filed here.

Detail	Contact/Link	Purpose
Portal Link	https://jansunwai.up.nic.in/	Lodge a new grievance/complaint (like the tree felling or Ranger posting issue) and track its status.
Email ID (for portal query)	jansunwai-up[at]gov[dot]in	For queries regarding the Jansunwai portal itself.
Action Taken Officer	Shri Arvind Mohan (Joint Secretary), Chief Minister Secretariat	The official who the existing grievance (GOVUP/E/2025/0014114) was forwarded to.
Officer Contact No.	0522-2226350 (CM Secretariat)	Use for follow-up on critical/high-level grievances.

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2. 🌲 Uttar Pradesh Forest Department Contacts

For issues directly related to illegal felling and forest officer accountability, contacting the Divisional and Principal Forest Officers is crucial.

A. Gorakhpur Division (Local Contact)

Designation	Contact Detail	Note
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Gorakhpur	Office Phone/Fax: 0551-2333108	The officer directly responsible for the Gorakhpur Division, including the Baki Range.
DFO Gorakhpur Email	dfogorakhpur@yahoo.co.in	Use for formal correspondence regarding the felling and the Ranger’s charge.
Regional Manager, UP Forest Corporation (Gorakhpur Office)	Phone: 0551-2500089 Email: rmgor@upfc.in	The Forest Corporation also plays a role in forest management and logging.

B. State Level (Lucknow – Highest Authority)

Designation	Contact Detail	Purpose
Principal Secretary, Forest, UP	Phone: 0522-2238669 Email: psecforest-up@nic.in	Highest Administrative Authority for the Forest Department. Essential for administrative issues like the Ranger posting.
HOD (PCCF – Head of Forest Force)	Phone: 0522-2206168 / 2206053 Email: pccf-up@nic.in	Head of Department (HOD) – Primary technical/field authority.
General Query/Support	Toll-Free: 1926	UP Forest Department’s general query helpline.

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3. 🌐 Other Relevant Websites

Website Link	Purpose
http://upforest.org/	Official website of the Forest Department, Uttar Pradesh. Look here for specific regional offices and policies.
https://upforestcorporation.co.in/	Official website of the UP Forest Corporation. Contains contact books and divisional office details (including Gorakhpur).

Recommended Action Plan:

To control such problems, a multi-pronged approach using these channels is best:

1. Lodge a Fresh Jansunwai Grievance: File a new complaint on the Jansunwai Portal focused purely on the illegal felling of green trees (Sal/Sakhua) in Daulatpur beat of Baki Range, demanding an on-site joint investigation and an FIR under The U. P. Protection of Trees Act, 1976.
2. Send a Direct Email: Write a formal email to the DFO, Gorakhpur (dfogorakhpur@yahoo.co.in), with a copy to the Principal Secretary, Forest (psecforest-up@nic.in), detailing the felling incident and the administrative issue of the prolonged Deputy Ranger charge.
3. File an RTI (if needed): Use the RTI application process to demand the specific information you requested (Ranger posting details, reasons for Jagdamba Pathak’s charge, and demand letters). The original grievance mentioned a pending RTI, which is the correct way to force disclosure on administrative reasons and official files.

Would you like me to draft a concise, formal email to the Principal Secretary of the Forest Department summarizing the tree felling and administrative concern?