The ex-honorary wildlife warden of Nainital has written to the principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the additional PCCF and the police alleging that he was issued threats by a person from Gohri Mafi village asking him to get the petition against construction of a flood safety wall near the village withdrawn from the National Green Tribunal.
The NGT had recently ordered a stay on the construction of this wall on the grounds cited in the petition that had stated that the wall would block the movement of elephants, tigers and other wildlife in the Rajaji national park.In his complaint e-mail sent to the PCCF, additional PCCF and the police, Dinesh Pandey has alleged, “I received a phone call from a man in Gohri Mafi who said that the chief wildlife warden and Rajaji field director had informed him that Pandey and another wildlife activist are behind the PIl against the construction of the flood safety wall along the Song river in Motichur range of Rajaji. The caller also threatened that a 500 strong crowd would gherao his home in protest,” he said.
Pandey informed The Pioneer that the caller had threatened that he could have had Pandey beaten up by some men but had not done so. “I will continue the drive in interest of wildlife and habitat but if anything happens to us, the caller and officials concerned will be responsible,” he added.