Udupi:  The Udupi Deputy Commissioner Dr MT Reju has taken serious cognizance of the act of some miscreants in felling as many as 150 valuable trees on the road side in Jadkal gram panchayat limits, allegedly frustrated over the administration which had turned a deaf ear to the plea t o repair the Shelkod-Mudur Road. The trees which were felled using machine were worth nearly Rs 50 lakh.

The Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday visited the spot and reminded the GP Chief who was present at the spot that the felling of trees without the permission of the Forest Department was against the Wildlife and Forest Protection Act. The DC who walked the entire stretch took note of the number of trees, electricity poles and cables were damaged.

He was accompanied by Udupi SP Boralingaiah, Kundapur AC B Sadashiv Prabhu and forest officials.

The locals were particularly infuriated when the DC said action must follow against the perpetrators of the attack.

It may be recalled here that a sum of Rs 2 crore has been released for the development of the road  which however could not be taken up for want of permission by the forest department to fell the trees.