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| Forest Department misappropriates 2500 Lacs released under CAT, RVP & FPR | | | Bashir Assad
SRINAGAR, Mar 18: Department of Forests has fraudulently misappropriated 2455 lacs under CAT and RVP & FPR meant for protection of environment in and around all mega hydroelectric power projects and River Valley Project & Flood Prone River in J&K.
It merits a mention here that CAT is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed to protect environment in and around all mega hydroelectric power projects and restore the damages caused during the execution and management of the projects. The CAT scheme in Jammu and Kashmir is executed by the Forest Department of Jammu and Kashmir.
Information provided to this correspondent by NHPC and also the Forest Department under RTI suggests that about 2455 lacs released from time to time under the twin schemes by the central government for preservation and protection of environment and restoration of damages have not been utilized on ground and the huge amount has been misappropriated by the forest officials.
For Dulhasti project a centrally sponsored scheme titled "Greening of Himalayas Dulhast (Kishtwar) Catchment Doda District" was formulated by the Soil Conservation Department (J&K) during 1989 at a total cost of 280 Lacs. The Scheme was approved by National Mission on Wasteland and Development, MOEF, Government of India and the scheme was supposed to be implemented by the Forest Department of J&K Government. Funds for the scheme were released by MOEF, GOI directly to the forest Department which, however, withdrew the amount without any physical achievement.
In 1992, some foreigners working in the project sowed some Shahtus plants in the main park of the project on their own and the Forest Department showed the same as physical achievement on ground and the huge amount of 280 Lacs went into pockets of the officials.
Similarly from 2003-04 to 2010-11, 600 Lacs stand released by the Central Government under Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) for execution of environment related works at Sewa-II, however, physical achievement is zero. The Forest Department prepared the utilization certificates very smartly but somehow missed the chain in 2004-05 and 2007-08. Information provided under RTI claims that 21 Lacs were released by the central government in February 2004, 36.21 Lacs in September 2004, 36.21 Lacs in Jun 2005, 55.705 Lacs in October 2005, 35.30 Lacs in March 2006, 20.405 Lacs in July 2006, 57.87 Lacs in October 2006, 57.87 Lacs in April 2007, 65.00 Lacs in September 2007, 65.154 Lacs in March 2008, 41.50 Lacs in October 2008, 41.50 Lacs in March 2009, 15.00 Lacs in December 2009, 10.00 Lacs in Jun 2010, 10.00 Lacs without mentioning the date of release, 10.00 Lacs in February 2011 and 10.00 more Lacs in same month 2011.
On the other hand RVP SC and FC division Pohru Langate in North Kashmir shows execution of works under RVP and FPR Scheme in the division on 1857 kanals of Forest Land at the cost of 285.836 Lacs in Muqamsahab Wali (20.64 Lacs), Moori (21.01 Lacs) Chandigam (25.13Lacs), Maidanpora (38.346 Lacs), Varnu (25.12 Lacs), Khurhama (32.53 Lacs), Rungdub (36.31 Lacs), Cherhar (44.07 Lacs), Bungus (26.83 Lacs) and Bela (16.03 Lacs) villages which according to sources within the Forest department, exist no where on ground.
Even more interesting but decorative story has been compiled by RVP/FPR FD-II Kathua which shows that under Natural Resource Management activities for the year 2011-12 the scheme has been implemented under two categories. Under Forest Land, the division shows execution of works at 1351 hectares at a cost of 126.88 Lacs while as under Waste Land it shows execution of work on 521 hectares at a cost of 41.157 Lacs and the total amount spent under the scheme is 168.037 Lacs. However, sources said on physical verification, the scheme does not exist at all.
Now see the most interesting but highly decorative story which is related to URI-II Hydroelectric Power Project.
The Project Officer Uri CAT-II Baramullah projects Financial Achievement at Rs. 1121 Lacs (over the period of six years) with the number of Creation Closures at 63 and area covered 1426 hectares. However, sources within the department said that not even a single closure exists on ground.
However, information about the implementation of CAT/RVP/FPR in and around Salal, Uri-I, Sewa-I and other projects was not provided which could have dug more skeletons. |
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