Forest department orders inquiry against 5 officials

The Forest department has ordered a departmenal inquiry against  five of its officers who allegedly abetted illegal quarrying in Kanakapura forests.

The undersecretary to Forest department, in his order dated February 28, 2014, has appointed retired district and sessions judge Nadiga Jaiswamy to conduct an inquiry against three assistant conservators of forest, a range forest officer and a guard.

 The five officials against whom action has been initiated are: K D Srinivasaiah B V Nagaraj Gowda and Siddegowda (all ACFs,) T M Ravi Kumar (RFO) and Shivaji Rao (forest guard). Of these, Siddegowda and Shivaji Rao have retired from service. 

The order says that the department had issued a show- cause notice to these officials seeking an explanation on the allegation that they abetted illegal quarrying, caused loss to the state exchequer and harmed the environment and forest. The department has rejected the replies by the officials.

On March 19, 2013, the then principal chief conservator of forests and head of the forest force had written to the principal secretary to the department of Forests and Environment, seeking to transfer to CID 143 cases booked in Ramanagar division pertaining to mining/quarrying in notified forest area. 

Charge sheets have been filed against D K Suresh, the Bangalore Rural MP and brother of Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, and others.