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| Mustafa Azad alleges nexus between SFC, forest contractors | | Forest wealth plundered, bills worth crores drawn fraudulently’ | |
Jammu, Aug. 1-Alleging large scale bungling and drawl of fraudulent bills worth crores of rupees, Ghulam Mustafa Azad, brother of the state Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that a nexus between the Forest contractors and State Forest Corporation employees was going to plunder the forest wealth in the state in a big way. He said despite stay from the Court the work in several compartments was going on with the help of police and corporation employees.
Exposing large scale bungling and multiple scandals in J&K State Forest Corporation, Azad said that the Corporation alleged nexus between some forest extraction contractors and SFC as a result fraudulent bills worth crores of rupees have been withdrawn in Bhaderwah Forest Division which falls in the Chief Minister's constituency.
He also alleged that Court orders are being bypassed in the area and perpetual loss of green gold by contractors has resulted in great loss to the forest wealth.
In a writ petition to J&K High Court, Ghulam Mustafa Azad, who himself is a forest contractor, has alleged that the scandals in JKSFC are an eye openers that the state of J&K is slowly turning into Bihar. He alleged that the Corporation has released payment of Rs 38 lakh to a contractor namely Shafkat Bagwan vide No 408-11/RM/SFC/DC dated November 15, 2006 for the work of extraction from Compartment No 39 and 40 of Neeru Forest Range. He said that the allotment was made in 2001 and it was clearly written in the terms and conditions that the work must be completed in March 2003 but it was completed in 2006. He said that Managing Director vide letter No 149-56 dated August 8, 2006, had drawn the attention of the DFO towards the green felling and ordered recovery of Rs.7.56 lakhs penalty. He alleged that Rs 38 lakh were released to the contractors whereas no penalty was recovered from him.
Disclosing that there are at least six contractors in the area having nexus with the SFC are withdrawing bills amounting to crores of rupees fraudulently. He said that the Corporation has thus failed to recover the penalty of green felling in Compartment No 43-C Neeru, 52, 53, 54 of Bhallesa, 55 and 56 of Neeru Range.
Giving details, he said that vide letter Nos 165-77 and 143-44 dated August 8 ,2006, MD SFC had written to DFO Bhaderwah for recovering penalty of Rs 9.42 lakhs in Compartment No 43-C Neeru and a penalty of Rs 7.34 lakhs in compartment No 52-54 Bhallesa range from Shafkat Bhagwan. He said that the department has failed to recover the penalties and instead they have released the bills to the contractors violating the rules and regulations.
Mustafa Azad said that damages worth crors of rupees have been made to the green wealth in forest compartment No 55 and 56 Neeru but no action was being taken against the contractors involved in the damage and violation of Supreme Court ruling. He said that the department in their letter No 1428-29 dated August 5, 2002 had clearly mentioned that in compartment 58-60, 34 number of green trees including 30m dewdar trees were fallen by the contractor that cost Rs 15 lakh and the department had written to recover the cost but the same is still not recovered.
He regretted that despite Court directions of July 27 last staying the operation of work in the above said compartments, the work was in full swing and alleged that this all was going on with the active cooperation and help from the Corporation employees and the Police.
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