Vishnu memorial: Notice issued to additional forest conservator

The State government has moved ahead to initiate disciplinary action against the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) Harikumar Jha for recommending action against Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner for the illegal allotment of two acres of land for Dr Vishnuvardhan Memorial at Thurahalli.

A show-cause notice served by the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, M Madan Gopal on Jha, an Indian Forest Service officer, seeks to know why Jha did not seek the permission of PCCF (Jha’s superior) before writing to Chief Conservator of Forest, Bengaluru Circle (officer below the rank of Jha) for initiating criminal action against the official responsible for allotting the land. The notice terms the action, a serious violation.


“You have failed to take note of the detailed discussion at the top official level in the forest department regarding the allotment of land for the (Dr Vishnuvardhan) memorial. It appears that you took the decision in haste without grasping the subject completely. Why disciplinary action should not be initiated against you in this regard?” read the show-cause notice.

The deputy commissioner had passed an order on December 21, 2013, allotting two acres of land in survey number 22 of Mylasandra village in Kengeri Hobli of Bengaluru South taluk for Vishnu Vardhan Memorial. The controversy is because the land in question is part of the Thurahalli Minor Forest, on which land sharks have set their eyes. 

APCCF Jha had directed the district administration to look for alternative land as granting forest land for any other purpose is not permitted under  the Forest Act.Criminal proceedings

Meanwhile, senior advocate K V Dhananjay wrote to the Forest Department against the allotment of land. In view of these developments, Jha wrote to the CCF of Bengaluru Circle to cancel the land allotment and initiate criminal proceedings against the officer involved in granting the land. He had even cited many court rulings against the allotment of forest land. Many officers in the Forest department as well as in the State government have expressed their deep dissatisfaction against issue of show-cause notice to Jha, as it sends wrong signals, according to them.