The Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister, Mr Ratnesh Solomon, has been accused of being involved in illegal felling of timber trees on a large scale in his forest-rich home district, Damoh. The president of the National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources, an umbrella body of over 50 NGOs and social organisations, Mr SR Hiremath, alleged that besides encroaching upon some protected forest land, Mr Solomon was also abetting destruction of forests in Damoh in connivance with forest and district officials and the timber mafia.