An official get together in the Kansaro range, in the core area of Rajaji national park, has elicited strong reactions from wildlife activists about forest department officials flouting rules themselves, consuming liquor and meat in a party on Sunday. Though the department officials have denied the charges and said that rules were not violated, varied statements by department officials have raised a question mark on the event.
According to reliable sources, on the invitation of the Rajaji director SP Subudhi more than 200 people including department staff, their families and heads of institutions gathered at the Kansaro rest house on Sunday in a “Holi Milan” programme. Though this site falls in the core zone of Rajaji where even tourism activities are prohibited, the departmental gathering saw the guests consuming liquor, meat and dancing to drum beats. The principal chief conservator of forest Dr RBS Rawat said, “These are rumours because we discussed wildlife security and did not party. I had directed that there be no liquor, meat or music at the meet where we simply applied tika on each other, had light meals and left after some time. No rules were vilolated,” he stressed. Interestingly, while the national park director was not available for comments, the chief wildlife warden SS Sharma told this reporter that he was unaware of the event whereas the Rajaji deputy director HK Singh said that officials had gathered to discuss the State wildlife action plan.
In a letter written to Sharma, PFA Uttarakhand member secretary Gauri Maulekhi stated, “In a telephonic conversation with you I was told that you had advised Subudhi to hold the Holi Milan programme in lachhiwala in stead of core area like Kansaro but your suggestion was ignored. liquor and meat-which are banned in national parks, were served in this party and your order was dishonoured,” she said.
Referring to the explanation that officials had met to discuss wildlife security, she asked Sharma what reasons forced the department to host a meet in the core zone and that too on a Sunday. Seeking the agenda and minutes of the meeting, she has questioned what the family members of officials were doing in a meeting supposedly held to discuss wildlife protection.
Wildlife activists are also questioning the point of holding a meeting on wildlife security in the absence of the CWW and serving liquor and meat to a gathering which comprised family members of officials.
Eyewitnesses state that there were drummers at the venue and officials and their family members were dancing to the beats in the Holi Milan programme while many officials were drunk.
Though forest officials have strongly refuted these allegations, the different versions given by the officers have raised a question mark on the legality of the event.