Former DFO Ignores Corbett Scam Queries Despite Forestry Chief’s Advice | Dehradun News
Dehradun: The former Divisional Forestry Officer (DFO) of Kalagarh, the area of Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) where multiple illegal constructions were reported recently, did not respond to questions from the Chief of the Forestry Force ( HoFF) on how the illegal activities occurred in the area under his surveillance. After all efforts to connect with former MPO Kishanchand by registered mail and email went unanswered, HoFF Vinod Kumar Singhal published notices in a Hindi newspaper on January 1, sources said.
Kishanchand was one of more than 30 forestry officers to be transferred by order of Chief Minister Dhami for Corbett’s illegalities on November 25. However, he only joined his new post at the HoFF office in Dehradun after 23 days, on December 18. In fact, one of the notices published in the newspaper urged him to report regularly for office.
When TOI contacted Kishanchand, he declined to share details, saying “This is an official matter, so no comments.”
The other notice called on the former DFO to submit a report explaining illegal building, logging and financial irregularities in violation of some of the country’s toughest wildlife laws. Copies of both opinions, written in Hindi, are with YOU.
The second opinion reads: “On December 17, you were asked for a report on financial irregularities, the construction of the Kandi road, the construction on the premises of the forestry rest homes of Morghatti and Pakhro and a plan for nearby water, illegal logging of trees near the proposed Pakhro Tiger Safari site, all in violation of the Indian Forest Act of 1927, the Forestry (Conservation) Act of 1980 and the Act on the fauna (conservation) of 1972. However, there has been no communication from you to this day, despite sending the request by e-mail as well as by registered mail to your home on December 20 .
The mail was returned because it was not received by anyone, the notice added.
He also indicated that an email will be sent to the official Kishanchand ID and if he does not respond to this it will be considered that he has received the communication and on this basis further action will be taken. .
Illegal construction was first detected in some of Corbett’s most sensitive areas in June last year and an internal investigation was subsequently launched. At the end of September, a team from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) confirmed the illegal construction and logging of trees, saying in a communication to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), that this could have happened either because of the laxity of officials or their connivance with wrongdoers. An investigation on the subject is underway.
Kishanchand was one of more than 30 forestry officers to be transferred by order of Chief Minister Dhami for Corbett’s illegalities on November 25. However, he only joined his new post at the HoFF office in Dehradun after 23 days, on December 18. In fact, one of the notices published in the newspaper urged him to report regularly for office.
When TOI contacted Kishanchand, he declined to share details, saying “This is an official matter, so no comments.”
The other notice called on the former DFO to submit a report explaining illegal building, logging and financial irregularities in violation of some of the country’s toughest wildlife laws. Copies of both opinions, written in Hindi, are with YOU.
The second opinion reads: “On December 17, you were asked for a report on financial irregularities, the construction of the Kandi road, the construction on the premises of the forestry rest homes of Morghatti and Pakhro and a plan for nearby water, illegal logging of trees near the proposed Pakhro Tiger Safari site, all in violation of the Indian Forest Act of 1927, the Forestry (Conservation) Act of 1980 and the Act on the fauna (conservation) of 1972. However, there has been no communication from you to this day, despite sending the request by e-mail as well as by registered mail to your home on December 20 .
The mail was returned because it was not received by anyone, the notice added.
He also indicated that an email will be sent to the official Kishanchand ID and if he does not respond to this it will be considered that he has received the communication and on this basis further action will be taken. .
Illegal construction was first detected in some of Corbett’s most sensitive areas in June last year and an internal investigation was subsequently launched. At the end of September, a team from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) confirmed the illegal construction and logging of trees, saying in a communication to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), that this could have happened either because of the laxity of officials or their connivance with wrongdoers. An investigation on the subject is underway.