Forest dptt Object to R&B work in Baramulla, asks it to stop construction of drain in forest land
Range Officer shoots letter, seeks clarification for not taking permission
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Srinagar, July 27 (RNA): Miffed with construction of a drain along a road in the forest area at Zandferan Baramulla, the Forest department has forced the R&B department to stop the work and asked how they started wok without seeking permission from the Forest department. Sources told RNA that the standoff between the two departments came on Friday evening when divisional Forest Officer Baramulla came to know about some construction taking place along the road in Compartment Number 2 and 3 at Zandferan in the outskirts of Baramulla town . The DFO, according to sources immediately called the Range officer and the field staff and asked them to stop the work immediately. If sources are to be believed, the Range officer on the directions of the DFO also shot a letter to the Executive Engineer R&B division Baramulla, asking him how they have undertaken the work without the knowledge of the Forest Department. Sources also said that the R&B has not sought any kind of clearance or permission from the forest department triggering rift between the two.
Meanwhile confirming the development to RNA, Divisional Forest Officer, Baramulla Parvaiz Ahmad Wani said that , the R&B authorities had not informed them about the construction which as per rules , they should have . He said that though the road along which the drain was being ‘renovated’ is 50 years old, but still the R& B should have informed them about the same before undertaking construction. The DFO however, evaded a reply as why his own staff including the Range Officer failed to inform him about the work which was going on in the forest area.“Range officer has a huge area of jurisdiction.” DFO told RNA.
Both the departments in Barmaulla are at logger heads with each other from last several months after the DFO filed an FIR against the Executive Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer and others for attempting to construct a road in forest land at Adoura. The work on the said road- according to DFO- remains suspended ever since. (RNA)