Following a complaint lodged by a Haridwar -based organisation engaged in preserving wildlife, the Uttarakhand forest department has ordered a probe into misutilisation of funds in numerous works undertaken by the Rajaji Tiger Reserve which include installation of sign boards, reflectors and also purchase of cages for catching big cats for rescue, relocation or under special circumstances.
Rajiv Mehta, a member of the organisation, and Dinesh Chandra Pandey, former honourary wildlife warden, had written a letter to the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Jai Raj, demanding a high- level probe into the alleged misutilisation of funds supposedly used in purchasing some items and in giving remuneration to the contractors and the labourers. It is learnt that PCCF has asked the forest conservator Sanjay Chaturvedi to probe whether the allegations have substance or not.
Mehta alleged that the letter mentioned that while during the patrolling in Motichur range, the food and tent charges have been levied to the tune of Rs 1000 per day by the park officials the employees are being given food allowances by the forest department. Besides, while JCB machines have been used for digging new waterholes the expenses mentioned have shown that things were done manually by the labourers, he said. Another allegation that was raised in the complaint is that though de-weeding of lantana was not done completely funds were shown to have been utilised for the same. This aside, amount to the tune of some lakhs was shown to have been spent on the patrolling teams and installation of reflectors and signboards while on the ground, they are hardly noticeable, Mehta said.
The letter further mentioned that in the daily expense register, many expenses were shown which were false. The letter added that a cage for catching/transporting leopard was purchased for Rs 40,000 while the actual market value of the cage is quite less.
He further said that such misutilisation of the public funds and their supposed misuse by some officers for their personal gains were a serious offence which the State Government should not connive with. “Had the funds been used for the works they were meant for they would have helped the park scale new heights,” Mehta said.