Three forest officers suspended
The State government has suspended three forest department officers with effect from October 10 this year based on the Central Empowered Committee recommendations. The officers, who belong to the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forests, have been directed not to leave the State headquarters.
The decision was taken following a report submitted by a three-member panel headed by Principal Secretary, Forests, Kaushik Mukherjee, which states that the officers have caused ‘crores of rupees of losses to the State’.
The panel was constituted to study recommendations made by CEC on illegal mining in the State.
The panel observes that T V Sreenivasan, ACF, Jalasamvardhana Yojana Sangha, Kolar; K K Poovaiah, ACF, Mobile Squad, Gulbarga; and J Srinivasamurthy, ACF, Social Forestry, Ramanagara, when they were officiating in the Bellary range, had flouted norms while issuing permits to lease holders.
This had led to largescale illegal mining, in turn causing huge losses to the State. The panel also suggests that the officers have contributed in the destruction of forest wealth.
The panel has also based its findings on the Upa Lokayukta report.
As per the government order, the panel has suggested the government to suspend J Srinivasamurthy and Poovaiah with immediate effect.
The order, however, doesn’t indicate anything with regard to Sreenivasan. Sources in the forest department said that it has been directed to issue a notice to the Jalasamvardhana Yojana Sangha, which in turn is expected to serve the notice on Sreenivasan.
