Madhya Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Sartaj Singh has said that certain development works initiated by him in Hoshangabad district during his tenure as the State’s forest Minister appears to have been halted due to some misunderstanding.
Singh, who represents Seoni-Malwa Assembly segment in Hoshangabad district, told this in reply to a query of mediapersons in Hoshangabad on Wednesday.
He said that development-related works at the three places have come to a halt but local people were trying to revive them. He said that he would also make efforts that the works are started again. Singh said that an eco-tourism centre was set up at Bhilatdeo near Seoni-Malwa on Janpad’s land at his initiative with public participation and MlA fund. A committee —including the Divisional Forest Officer and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate — had been formed to take care of it.
He said that a ‘tilak sindoor’ was being set up near Itarsi. Besides, a herbal park was being developed near Hoshangabad. The eco-tourism centre had become a centre of attraction for tourists. However, it was closed down by the Forest Department a few months ago. Several people had gathered at the scene and registered protest. However, Forest Department officials are refraining from commenting on the matter. Singh served as the Forest Minister during the previous regime. He was made the PWD minister when the new dispensation came to power last year. Presently, Gauri Shankar Shejwar is the State’s Forest Minister.