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| KDA breached SC guidelines; felled Deodar, Kail trees unnecessarily | | 'Extracted timber smuggled' | | Early Times Report
jammu, Mar 29: Kishtwar Development Authority (KDA) in breach of administrative orders and Supreme Court (SC) guidelines brought down precious deodar and kail trees with impunity, smuggled the extracted timber and yet went scot free.
The patch of forest land where this massive devastation took place is situated in a dense forest in Barnoyan Pochhal area of Kishtwar district. According to inquiry report of forest department, KDA in complete violation of SRO-203 and section 6 of Jammu and Kashmir Forest Conservation and Afforestration Act-1997, cut Deodar and kail tress in compartment 66 A for KDA work and then allegedly smuggled extracted stuff smuggled causing erroneous effect and loss to state exchequer.
It needs to be mentioned here that KDA was headed by a KAS officer who is presently on deputation and working as Additional Private Secretary with Union minister for Health and Family Welfare at New Delhi. Sources said that Kishtwar Development Authority (KDA) not only cut down Deodar and Kail Trees but also uprooted 100s of small trees besides leveling the forest land with a JCB machine.
Ask the officials and they would tell you that the forest land in question was levelled on the directions of the then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) KDA for the construction of tourist amenities in compartment 66-A in dense Barnoyan Pochhal forest area of Kishtwar. However, sources said that the land for the construction of tourist amenities had to be acquired by revenue department.
Revenue department had even completed the process of acquiring the land yet KDA decided to go on its own and choose forest land for the said purpose without the proper permission of the state forest department. They devastated the forest area, damaged the fragile environment and left without even being questioned.
Sources said that none could understand the hurry of the then CEO KDA. They further claim that though KDA has claimed to have spent Rs. 30.54 lakh on the project, reality on ground is completely different. Sources disclosed that forest department on coming to know about the devastation set up an enquiry committee, which in its report substantiated the allegations levelled against the officers of KDA and forest department.
The enquiry committee in its report pointed out that six kail standing trees had been extracted for fence posts whereas in form-18, it had been shown as extracted from dead fallen Kail trees. It has maintained that 28 scants have been extracted from wind fallen tree and brought to T.S.D Kishtwar but in from-18, only 26 scants have been entered and the whereabouts of 24 Deodar scants is unknown.
Further, the extracted stuff of 73 Kail scants from 4 Kail dry standing trees is also not known. Besides, when extraction was carried out in compartment 66A for KDA work, nothing is known about extracted stuff of 104/321.64 cft so issued from T.S.D Kishtwar for KDA work. The committee has also questioned burning of stumps at the top.
Though it has claimed to have registered a case in F-56 for further enquiry in the matter yet it is also a fact that neither a thorough enquiry was ever conducted nor was any action taken against the guilty. From the then Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) to Range officer to Beat Guards to CEO of KDA, all are enjoying prize and lucrative postings. |
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