Foresters let private telecom company dig in protected area: Activist

NAGPUR: Forest conservation laws were allegedly flouted by divisional forest office, Pusad forest division in Yavatmal when a top private telecom company allegedly dug up land in protected forest (PA) area to lay optic fibre cable (OFC).

Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Pusad Arvind Munde is alleged to have approved the work without obtaining proper authorization from the state government.

Forest activist Raju Rathod, who has secured critical documents in the matter, levelled allegations of corruption against Munde. He said, "The DFO knowingly approved the work for the private company without obtaining orders from the state's ministry of environment and forest (MoEF)."

Munde admitted to the work carried out between July 10 and 25, and said, "The company's contractors had commenced the work without permission from forest department. They told us that they assumed the work was approved by the additional principal chief conservator of forests. We stopped the work and conducted an enquiry."

The documents show that a preliminary offence report (POR) against the alleged activity was registered on July 25 based on complaints made by local activists. Despite this, the company's work proposal was tendered to the government on July 27, two days after the POR was lodged. The revenue and forest department approved the work on September 11.

Two JCBs and one Pokland machines were seized following the POR. "But the machines were released by additional conservator of forests of Pusad BK Kare after ordering a bank guarantee of Rs60,000 from the contractors," said Munde.

The OFC laying has allegedly been carried out on the 33km district road connecting Pusad to Lakhi village in Yavatmal through protected forests. Any excavation activity without government approval is prohibited under Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and Indian Forest Act (IFA), 1927.

Munde informed that a complaint was registered against the private company and its contractor and the case is pending before a court in Pusad. Downplaying the incident he said, "The company's proposal was sent to the state government as per protocol. Officers against whom I've issued disciplinary action are trying to malign my reputation."

"Excavation in protected forests without authorization is prohibited under section 26(1)(g) of IFA. But the offence has not been framed against the contractors and the private company. This is a clear indication of high-level corruption in the forest department," said Rathod.