Bengaluru: In a shocking administrative decision, the Karnataka government has suspended a Conservator of Forests (ACF) without the concerned minister's authorisation.
It is intriguing that the officer T Venkatesh has been suspended when the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF, Forest Force) had merely recommended that he be “transferred to a forest division where there is less pressure”.
Intyerestingly, the suspension order has been issued without the concurrence of Karnataka Forest Minister Ramanath Rai. When contacted, Rai said that he was looking into the matter.
Moreover, Principal Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Hosmath was not taken into confidence before the suspension order was issued by the Under Secretary, Forest and Environment, Karnataka.
There are rumours that a powerful lobby motivated the government to oust the officer who had been a thorn in the flesh to a couple of wildlife wardens.
Incidentally, he has been suspended as 151 hectares of forest cover was reduced in ashes in Bandipur’s Moleyur range a few months back. Strangely, no action has been taken against a range forest officer where more than 2000 hectares of forests were engulfed by fire in the adjoining Nagarhole tiger reserve.
This is the second instance when the ACF has faced action.
Earlier, he had filed a case against a wildlife warden for allegedly illegally constructing a resort inside the Bhadra tiger reserve, notified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority as an inviolate area. Bhadra is a critical tiger habitat.
In fact, as many as 300 families had been relocated from the Bhadra tiger reserve to ensure wildlife wasn’t disturbed by the presence human habitations.
Though Venkatesh had been steadfast in his findings that the resort had infringed on forest land, an inquiry conducted by the forest department had absolved the wildlife warden.
The resort, according to senior forest officers, does not impede the movement of wild animals, including tigers, elephants and gaur.
Later Venkatesh was transferred on October 14, 2015 to the Bandipur tiger reserve.
As an officer of the forest department, Venkatesh took on the high and mighty including conservator of forest BB Mallesh.
His supporters list out the following points for the action against Venkatesh:
1. Questioning the administration of the conservator of forest, Bandipur tiger reserve.
2. Stopping a power line from being allegedly illegally drawn without clearance from the ministry for environment, forest and climate change.
3. Throwing the spanner in the works of public works department (PWD) which had allgedly illegally started to construct a road inside the tiger reserve
4. Raising the issue of a wildlife warden constructing a farm house adjacent to the Nugu wildlife reserve
Instead of commending his sincerity to protect our dwindling forests and wildlife, the Karnataka government has inadvertently suspended Venkatesh to please some wildlife wardens.
God save our wildlife.
(Joseph Hoover is a wildlife photographer, tiger expert and a member of Karnataka State Wildlife Board)
Comments
0 comment