Animal activists here strongly protested against the State Government's order to transfer a post of deputy director from the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi district to Rajaji National Park in Haridwar purportedly to adjust provincial forest service officer Kishan Chand who is also handling the charge of Rudraprayag divisional forest officer.
Stating this in a letter to the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court, People for Animals, Uttarakhand member secretary Gauri Maulekhi alleged that the Government was bent upon posting Chand in Rajaji as his wife is a Congress leader from the Haridwar region and his posting is expected to ensure some political benefit in the lok Sabha election.
Alleging violation of the Representation of the Peoples Act 1951, Maulekhi has written to the Chief Justice, stating, "The model code of conduct for the lok Sabha elections 2014 came into force since March 5 in Uttarakhand but a day before that, the transfer of some officers was made by the State Government including that of Chand. It is pertinent to mention that Chand's wife Brij Rani, is a Congress leader who previously held the position of Haridwar District Panchayat chairperson and also contested the Assembly elections 2012 from Jwalapur constituency." It is pertinent to mention here that when Chand was first transferred to the post of Rajaji deputy director to replace HK Singh who was posted a year ago, Singh filed a petition in the High Court after hearing which the HC had stayed Chand's transfer to Rajaji on March 11.
However, Maulekhi points out, "Inspite of the HC order the State government issued an order through which one post of deputy director is said to have been transferred from Govind wildlife sanctuary to Rajaji national park adjusting Chand in Rajaji. It is clear that the government of Uttarakhand is all set to post Chand under Rajaji with the ill intention of getting benefit in the coming lok Sabha election even at the cost of diluting the order of the High Court of Uttarakhand," she states, while adding that it is a clear cut violation of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951.
It will be recalled that Chand's transfer to Rajaji had elicited opposition from wildlife activists who had alleged that he had a dubious work record and was posted to Rajaji inspite of a government order issued in 2000 against his posting in any sensitive area.