Forest dept probe hints at foul play

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Forest dept probe hints at foul play

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Mon, Jan 16 2006 9:43:22 PM +0530

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Link: www.assamtribune.com

 

The Assam Tribune, Guwahati, Monday, January 16, 2006

 

Forest dept probe hints at foul play

From Upen Dutta

GOLAGHAT, Jan 15 – Chief Conservator of Forests (Territorial) Suresh

Chand has admitted that forest products from the Nambor-Doyang

Reserve Forest were indeed destroyed and looted by some forest

employees and that the news published by the murdered Golaghat

correspondent of Asomiya Khabhar, Prahlad Gowala, was true. Chand,

who is the enquiry officer of the Forest department, informed

newspersons in a press conference at the Halmira forest guest house

today that the news items regarding the alleged corruption of

Golaghat forest ranger Md R Zinna were also true.

 

The Jorhat zone forest conservator, Srivastav, who was present in

the press conference, also admitted that the employees of the Forest

department had been involved in destruction of forest products in

the Nambor-Doyang Reserve Forest since 2001. Ranger Zinna was

corrupt and he colluded with other Forest officials and poachers to

destroy forest products and illegally sell huge quantities of wood

to contractors.

 

It may be mentioned that the CCF (T) and the Jorhat zone conservator

have found after enquiry that Md Zinna was indeed involved in

corrupt and illegal acts and the news items published in newspapers

were based on facts. Zinna allegedly attempted to kill Gowala

several times over the past few months.

 

The CCF (T) further informed that the officer-in-charge and the

employees of the Juriadalang checkpost had extended help and

cooperation to the corrupt Forest officials. Chand assured

newspersons that stern measures would be taken and the guilty Forest

officials punished for their malpractices. He also assured

institution of a high-power enquiry committee into the killing of

Gowala and the destruction of the Forests.

 

Meanwhile, Forest officials have seized a large number of logs from

the reserve forest.

 

Several organisations and NGOs, including nature clubs, have

condemned the killing of Gowala and have demanded a CBI enquiry into

his murder. Forest Minister Pradyut Bordoloi has also come in for

criticism for his failure to get arrested the culprits involved in

the murder. The organisations have demanded that the government take

proper steps to prevent man-animal conflicts in the stone quarries

at Bihoria and Mikir-Chang where due to blasting, elephants have

killed some 20 persons.