The Uttarakhand Home Department has approved a CB-CID enquiry into the allegations of ‘major anomalies’ in the management of Corbett tiger reserve, based on the sting operation undertaken by People For Animals, Uttarakhand in December 2012.
The park management was accused of improper dumping behind canteens in violation of eco-tourism guidelines thus introducing monkeys and other animals to a diet of rotten processed food which had led to a shift in the behavior of the monkeys, giving rise to conflicts.
After the sting operation, the chief wildlife warden had directed the Corbett deputy director to inquire into the allegations in which the then Corbett director was the main accused. The departmental inquiry cleared the director and based on it, the State had recommended action against PFA Uttarakhand member secretary Gauri Maulekhi who had conducted the sting operation.
In October last year, Maulekhi approached the police seeking a full scale CBI inquiry into the allegations. Now, the additional director general of police RS Meena has ordered a CB-CID inquiry into the allegations following approval from the Home department. It will be recalled that in December 2012, Maulekhi had alleged various administrative anomalies on the basis of a video of department staff talking about these irregularities and varied ‘evidence’.
She had alleged anomalies in management of the canteen, undue benefits being taken by the Corbett honourary warden, serving of alcohol in the national park’s rest houses in blatant violation of the law and improper dumping of garbage.
However, the Forest Department had then averred that the allegations were baseless considering which the principal secretary, Forest, had recommended action against Maulekhi for ‘falsification’. The PFA has welcomed the CB-CID probe and expressed hope that an unbiased inquiry will reveal the truth behind the alleged anomalies in Corbett.