Govt may make U turn
Sudarshan had allowed illegal felling of trees in Kodagu
Contrary to the assurance given to the Central Empowerment Committee that it will punish the officials responsible for mass felling of trees in forests of Kodagu district, the State Government has decided to reinstate G A Sudarshan, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer responsible for the denudation.
A silent and concerted efforts to reinstate Sudarshan in Kodagu has begun by the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly K G Bopaiah and an MLA, sources told Deccan Herald.
A top Forest Department official said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa is under severe pressure from the Kodagu MLAs to reinstate Sudarshan as Conservator of Forests in Kodagu. “Though many forest officials are against it, he is tipped to be the Conservator of Kodagu,” sources said.
“There is no proposal as such, but the Speaker wants him over there,” a senior IAS officer in the Chief Minister’s office said. The Sudarshan episode dates back to 2007 when as Deputy Conservator of Forests, Madikeri, he permitted felling of 400 trees. Then Conservator of Forests Prem Kumar recommended disciplinary action against him on April 9, 2007.
Charges were framed against Sudarshan for abuse of power, causing huge damage to the environment and cheating the Government. Interestingly, he returned to Kodagu as Conservator in 2008, following a recommendation by the then BJP State President Sadananda Gowda. In a submission before the Supreme Court’s Central Empowerment Committee, then Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao said disciplinary action would be initiated against Sudarshan. The submission came in response to a petition by retired Air Marshal K C Cariappa regarding the felling of 79 trees during an illegal road construction within Pattighat reserve forest connecting Dabbadka- Bhagamandala- Karike road. The Government transferred him out of Kodagu in March 2009.
A committee headed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in a report had submitted that the officer was solely responsible for felling 3,750 trees in virgin, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and granted permissions to widen roads in forest areas violating Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.
The present Conservator of Forests had been transferred from Chief Minister’s home district, just a couple of months ago.
DH News Service
