Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, May 27: Taking serious note of non-cooperation, Collector Land Acquisition NHAI and Additional Deputy Commissioner Ramban Angrez Singh Rana today issued notice to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Batote asking him to explain his conduct which is creating impediments in completion of land acquisition proceedings for four-laning of National Highway. Moreover, Treasury Officer Batote has been directed not to release the salary of erring officer till further orders.
Official sources said that on October 6, 2016 High Court issued directions for fresh land acquisition proceedings in Dhalwas, Sawani, Kunfer and Chanderkote areas and fixed time-frame of four months for the completion of exercise.
Accordingly, a committee of officers comprising of Tehsildar Ramban, Chief Horticulture Officer Ramban and DFO Batote was constituted to recount and re-assess cost of the trees coming under the alignment of National Highway as per the existing rates before February 23, 2017.
However, when Tehsildar Ramban approached DFO Batote for deputing his representative for counting and making the assessment of the trees under the alignment of four laning of National Highway the DFO behaved in a manner unbecoming a public servant and also refused to sign the assessment lists of trees.
Similarly, one more committee consisting of Executive Engineer PMGSY Batote, DFO Batote and Tehsildar Ramban constituted for demarcation of land under the alignment of PMGSY road from Haman to Papria has informed the Collector Land Acquisition NHAI/Additional Deputy Commissioner that land could not be demarcated because of non-availability of forest officials as a result of which work on the road has been suspended.
As non-cooperation of DFO has caused delay in re-counting and assessing the cost of trees under acquisition and creating impediments in implementation of direction of High Court, the Collector Land Acquisition NHAI/Additional Deputy Commissioner Ramban Angrez Singh Rana has issued notice to DFO Batote with the direction to explain his position within three days failing which action will be initiated against him for causing delay in the land acquisition proceedings for a project of national importance.
He has also directed Treasury Officer Batote not to release salary of DFO Batote till further orders.
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