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| Checks, raids by Forest deptt in Bhaderwah prove hoax | | | Abid Hussain Wani
Early Times Report
Bhaderwah, May 31: Few days back, teams of Forest Protection Force and other Forest officers from Jammu, including DFO Jammu division, conducted a thorough checking of compartments in Neeru range and Chiralla range of Bhaderwah forest division. They also raided several non-functional band saws in and around Bhaderwah town, in anticipation of large-scale illegal green felling and sawing of illegal logs/scants.
But as revealed by the locals and the field functionaries of the Forest department, not a single scant of green timber was seized by the team members led by Mohandaas, IFS incharge CF Chenab Circle, nor could they find a single illegal scant or log being sawn in the band saw which are non-functional for many years now, as no license has been issued to these band saws for not fulfilling criteria as per SRO 103. As per locals the CF had heated argument with the owners of non-functional band saw as they pleaded that since no illegal activity was noticed by the sleuths of Forest and FPF why are they being harassed?
Locals further said that without paying any heed to the plea of band saw machine owners, the CF Mohandaas police, CRPF and Army and thrashed the owners of non-functional machine owners and their relatives present on spot and later tore away the machines and took them to DFO Bhaderwah office complex forcefully.
Later, the locals protested in the DFO Bhaderwah office complex against the high handedness of Mohandaas and his team of officials including DFO Doda, Alok Kumar Muriya who has been assigned additional charge of Bhaderwah forest division after the suspension of DFO Bhaderwah Khalid Amin Mehta. As per eyewitness Shabir Ahmed Malik of Bhaderwah, the team of Forest officials could not seize a single illegal green scant from the whole Bhaderwah division after conducting checking for the last four days but have listed nearly 34 stumps in Neeru range alleged to be illegally cut.
But this list is contested by the field staff who was posted their who said the list is fabricated and old refreshed stumps have been listed by the team under the direction of incharge CF Chenab Mohandaas to prove his point of huge illegal damage in Neeru range. The CF is allegedly acting on the directions of some influential persons, as revealed by sources, who had some personal animosity with Khalid Mehta, DFO Bhaderwah. Besides there are allegations of leg pulling among the lower rung officials in Bhaderwah forest division who are making complaints against each other. The fight for posting as RO by junior officials cannot be ruled out.
Sources have further revealed that some 'blue eyed' officials along with DFO Bhaderwah RO Neeru, RO Chirala and foresters were allegedly involved in green feeling and have been rewarded and given charge of ranges after suspension of incumbent ROs. This has triggered a strong wave of resentment amongst the field staff of Chenab Circle and locals of Bhaderwah also.
Sources said the incharge CF Chenab Circle wants his 'blue eyed' persons to be posted as Range Officers in Bhaderwah. "What was the need of enacting such a drama of levelling false allegations of large scale green felling and getting present DFO and other Range Officers suspended even without proving charge of illegal felling and making seizure of illicit timber," asked sources. It's further alleged by the Forest officials that CF Mohandaas has hoodwinked the PCCF through a fabricated report of illicit damage in Neeru Range.
As per the sources, Mohandaas, as per protocol and hierarchy, was supposed to submit damage report to CCF Jammu first who is his immediate controlling officer and provincial head, but after going through the order issued by the PCCF J&K Suresh Chug, he has placed under suspension DFO Bhaderwah Khalid Mehta along with Range Officer and Foresters based on the report of Mohandaas and no report/comment or recommendations have been sought from CCF Jammu by the PCCF J&K.
Repeated telephone calls were made to Mohandaas to get his version, but he didn't pick up the phone. |
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