Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 21: The State Vigilance Commission (SVC) has taken serious note of smuggling and illicit damage caused to forests at the hands of some notorious persons in connivance with the officers/officials of Forest Department and summoned the Principal Chief Conservator Forests (PCCF).
An official handout issued by the SVC said on a specific information regarding illicit damage inflicted to forests in Compartment No. 18/L in South Circle Range, Bijbehara, the SVC had received enquiry reports earlier made by the Range Officer South Circle, Bijbehara and Technical Officer concerned into the matter, which prima-facie revealed that the officials of concerned Forest Division viz Forester, Deputy Forester, Block Officer, Forest Guard and others, had misused their official positions by indulging in corrupt and mal-practices.
“These officers had not only abetted the offence of smuggling but, had themselves sold the timber entrusted to their custody to some private saw mills and contractors by taking illegal gratification from them which amounted to criminal breach of trust on part of the public servants,’’ the handout said.
The Commission had sought Action Taken Report (ATR) from the PCCF in light of the order issued by the Conservator Forests, South Circle Range, Bijbehara vide order No:58 of 2008 dated 23-07-2008, in this regard.
The PCCF submitted the ATR along with some records through his Law Officer.
The perusal of report divulged half baked stories leaving many questions unanswered particularly reasons for not making recoveries, for not registering the FIR and not taking administrative action and making adverse entries in the service records of involved officials, as was recommended by the Conservator Forests, South Circle Range, Bijbehara in his order dated 23-07-2008.
The SVC while taking serious note of the apparent sheltering of the accused by the higher authorities of the Forest Department in implementing the order of the Conservator Forests South Circle, Bijbehara and not initiating departmental action and other proceedings against delinquent forest officers/officials, had summoned the PCCF to explain his report and record submitted thereto on the next date of hearing.
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