DCF defends decision not to register Forest Offense Report
The Congress delegation that called on South DCF, Prem Kumar on Tuesday to demand action in the Canacona timber incident.
MARGAO
A committee headed by Sub-Divisional Forest Officer, Canacona has been constituted to investigate into the allegations levelled by Congress leader Janardhan Bhandari and Goa Forward leader Vikas Bhagat alleging the role of Goa Legislative Assembly speaker into the timber transportation episode.
Deputy Conservator of Forests, South Goa, Prem Kumar, IFS, however, defended the decision not to register the Forest Offense Report (FOR) in the case, but hastened to add that the FOR will be registered if anything incriminating comes to light during the course of investigations.
A Congress delegation comprising of party leaders, Girish Chodankar, Elvis Gomes and others called on the DCF in his Margao office on Tuesday to question him over the delay in FOR in the Canacona timber transportation case and whether the same criteria will be applied to the common man as well in the future.
Both Girish and Elvis grilled the DCF over the Canacona timber incident saying the laws were violated in the process, alleging that the Forest department is shielding the culprits because of political pressure.
DCF Kumar, however, defended the decision not to lodge the FOR in the Canacona case after the preliminary inquiry report indicated that the timber was purchased in an auction and it was transported through forest area with a transit pass.
The Congress delegation, however, insisted that when the timber was brought to the saw mill to cut the wood logs, there was no permission produced by the concerned people.
The DCF asserted the transit pass was duly generated in the case, but pointed out that since the forest department has received a complaint from Janardhan Bhandari in the matter, a sub committee has been constituted to probe into the incident.
The Congress delegation, however, demanded to know whether the inquiry will be completed in a time frame or will it end just like any other probe without taking the matter to the logical conclusion.
Since the panel has still not summoned Bhandari for investigations, the delegation demanded that the panel should start the probe by calling Bhandari for questioning if at all the department is serious in getting out the truth.
Later briefing the media, Kumar said his office has already initiated a probe into the Canacona incident. He further said that his office has taken cognizance of a tweet by Girish Chodankar about tree felling at Sadolxem for a proposed Ashram. “We will not encourage any illegal activities in the forest area. The law applies equally to everyone, irrespective of the positions of the people”, he asserted.
Girish later told the media that the allegation against Ramesh Tawadkar over encouraging deforestation is of serious kind and it should be investigated thoroughly and he should be booked under the forest Act.
“Common man can’t cut the trees even if they are endangering peoples lives. Common man would have been booked if involved in felling trees even from their own backyard. But here the law for Tawadkar is different and forest officials have given him liberty to do whatever he wants,” Chodankar said.
Elvis Gomes said that the Forest Offense Report (FOR) should have been registered against those involved in felling of trees. “DCF says that a committee has been appointed under Sub Divisional Forest Officer to investigate the matter. In normal cases such committees are not appointed. Forest should have registered FOR. Assuming Speaker of the house Tawadkar is not involved, still it was mandatory to register FOR more so when a complaint was lodged. People of Goa are watching,” Gomes said.
He added that Janardhan Bhandari and Vikas Bhagat, both locals from Canacona, who had alleged that Ramesh Tawadkar was using his position as speaker were facing police harassment to cause them to withdraw their complaint.
