Keonjhar/Ghatagaon: The forest department has suspended Deobandh forester Mohini Mahanta and forest guard Sagarika Bej in connection with alleged irregularities in carrying out a plantation programme in Barabanka forest under Deobandh section of Ghatagaon range in Keonjhar district.
Sources said that a good number of trees were felled from the sides of National Highway-20 at the time of its expansion work. At that time, to compensate the loss, an agreement was inked between the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the forest department.
With the money deposited by the NHAI, 1,50,000 saplings were planted in Barabanka jungle under Ghatagaon range. A notice board put up near the jungle mentions so.
This afforestation programme was carried out in the jungle covering 501.60 hectares in the financial year 2019-20. At that time, local residents had alleged that far less number of saplings than the actual number were planted and lodged a complaint in this regard with the forest department.
Upon receiving the complaint, Keonjhar DFO had directed the assistant conservator of forest (ACF) to probe the allegation. “During the probe, the ACF came to know about the irregularities and acting on his report, Deobandh forester Mohini Mahanta and forest guard Sagarika Bej have been put under suspension and the investigation is still on,” informed divisional forest officer (DFO) Santosh Joshi.
When contacted, ACF Ghanshyam Mahanta said that when he was carrying out the investigation; it came to the fore that less number of saplings was planted. “This apart, the planted saplings were found without any pit around them for applying manure and holding water. During investigation it also came to the fore that many saplings died due to lack of maintenance,” Mahanta said.
Local people demanded the department take exemplary steps against other officials who were executing the programme. “Similarly, if other compensatory afforestation programmes carried out across the district are investigated, several cases of irregularities will come to the fore,” they observed.
PNN
