Accusing the Rajaji National Park administration and forest department of orchestrating irregularities in the rehabilitation of the Khandgaon-III village residents, members of Khandgaon Visthapan Samiti have written to the AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi seeking action to redress the anomalies.
They have warned that if the issue is not resolved in a month, they will publicise the anomalies in the entire Tehri Dam rehabilitation area and boycott the coming lok Sabha election. In the letter addressed to Rahul, KVS president BS Negi States that Tehri dam affected families were rehabilitated at Khandgaon III at Raiwala near Rajaji in 1978-80 and agreed to being relocated again in 1988 to facilitate restoration of the Chilla-Motichur elephant corridor.
“At present, 32 families are to be rehabilitated at lalpani in Rishikesh but the Rajaji director SP Subudhi and former relocation officer NC Goyal altered our land specifications and removed from the records about 200 sq. metres residential land which was provided to us by THDC during rehabilitation and included in the rehabilitation agreement with Rajaji administration. We have complained repeatedly to the
Chief Minister and senior department officials about this but no action has been taken yet. The Rajaji officials are not facilitating our rehabilitation to lalpani efficiently while we continue to face problems like damage to life and farming in human-wildlife conflict, shortage of potable water and irrigation. Three persons have already died here in chance encounters with elephants while big cats frequently kill our cattle,” he added.
Negi has informed Rahul that the villagers are demanding a CBI inquiry into the alleged anomalies by the Rajaji administration and necessary action. “If the necessary action is not taken, we will be forced to publicise the official corruption in all the Tehri rehabilitation area and boycott the coming lok Sabha election,” he said. This corresponded tried to contact the Rajaji director but Subudhi did not respond to calls.