Fly ash covers the ground at the jahersthan in Kadma on Monday. Picture by Animesh Sengupta

Shastrinagar in Kadma is fast losing its green cover, raising concerns among local residents and environmentalists. And the guilty, it is alleged, are tribals.

For the past fortnight, over 100 trees have been axed at a jahersthan (a place of worship for tribals). Functionaries of Aadeem Santhal Jahersthan, who felled the trees, also dumped fly ash in the vacated area. The piled-up toxic substance has grown to 10 feet.

President of Adeem Santhal Jahersthan Bhua Hansda, however, justified their action. “We have been allotted the three-acre plot by Tata Steel and have been using the place as jahersthan for the last 25 years. Now, we have decided to develop the area. As the plot is a low-lying area, we are simply filling it up with fly ash. Once the levelling job is done, we will dump soil and build a park and garden there,” Hansda told The Telegraph.

Notwithstanding Hansda’s defence, the haze of fly ash has been choking residents.

Ramesh Singh said the heap of fly ash has started taking its toll on the environment. “This place used to be like a dense forest even two weeks ago. But, the green cover is fast disappearing,” he added.

Divisional forest officer (DFO), Jamshedpur, Karma Bhutia said though the plot did not fall under the jurisdiction of the forest department, he would still look into the matter.

“Though felling or damaging of trees affects the environment, if the place does not fall under the forest area, we cannot do anything,” said the DFO.

He pointed out that they would take action only if the felled trees were transported from one place to another.