Nagpur: The state government has buried irregularities worth Rs60 lakh in plantations exposed by a senior forest officer in Hingni forest range in Wardha division under Nagpur circle.
Information under RTI Act revealed that about 60,000 saplings planted in 68 hectares forest area in Hingni range failed completely and Rs60 lakh spent on these plantations in five years (2012-16) went down the drain.
In May 2018, acting on reports appearing in vernacular dailies on plantation irregularities exposed by social worker Dinesh Majethia, a resident of Hirapur (Wardha), the government asked APCCF TK Choubey to conduct probe.
Choubey visited plantation sites on May 18 & 22 along with officials concerned and found that the complaints on failed plantations were true. He had even submitted a report. However, the government found that statements of labourers, who were alleged to be fake, were not recorded and hence another probe was conducted by evaluation wing, which gave a clean chit to those involved.
Based on RTI from PCCF’s office, TOI on August 2, had reported about these irregularities. However, another report by the evaluation wing procured under RTI states that there is 40.26% survival and no such irregularities took place, contradicting APCCF Choubey’s report.
“The evaluation wing, which earlier gave consecutive negative reports on three-year and 10-year plantations in the state, giving a clean chit to plantations in Hingni range, calls for an impartial probe by a third party,” said Majethia.
Choubey had reported irregularities at two sites — Jogapur and Raipur. However, the evaluation team did not visit Jogapur where no seedling is surviving even after the fifth year. During 2012 rains, Rs18 lakh were spent on plantations in 25 hectares at Jogapur where survival was zero.
Evaluation team on the basis of statement of 10 labourers who worked for 5 days from November 1-5, 2016, concluded that plantations at second site at Raipur had a survival rate of 40.26% in 2012 and 2016 (both stages).
The evaluation report says nothing about the status of first stage plantation at Raipur in respect of survival and growth, where Rs14 lakh were spent from 2012-16. It does not say anything about the height of surviving seedling. Even photographs are not attached with the report of CCF (evaluation).
“In Choubey’s report, the status of plantation was shown with actual photographs taken during his visit along with the report of APCCF while evaluation report does not contain plantation pictures, indicating suppression of facts,” alleged Majethia.
CCF (evaluation) HS Hooda, who is now APCCF (protection), did not take DFO (evaluation), Nagpur, in whose jurisdiction the area falls. Instead, a forest guard SM Shah was taken along. “On the basis of a guard’s report, the case has been closed,” said Majethia.
Hooda did not respond to repeated TOI calls. He also did not reply to a set of questions posed to him on his WhatsApp. Earlier, PCCF (HoFF) UK Agrawal had told TOI that there are no irregularities in Wardha plantations and he had asked CCF (territorial) to file a criminal complaint against Majethia for misleading the media.
“Statement of labourers also state that they were at work and received wages for it,” he said.
