Bhubaneswar: Some senior officials of Forest Department are using luxurious vehicles provided by various mining companies which basically tantamount to flouting rules, according to ‘Transparency International India’ member Biswajit Mohanty.
According to the rulebook, the Forest Department officials can use the vehicles provided by companies only when plantation and conservation work are being carried out by the officials. Only the vehicles of companies whose plantation work is being carried out can be utilised.
Even if plantation or wildlife conservation is conducted by these forest officials, the job hardly requires the use of costly vehicles, Mohanty pointed out.
Mohanty said that asking for costly vehicles from companies is illegal. The department is spending Rs 400 crore every year through the Compensatory Afforestation Funds Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) project. Vehicles like Jeeps and Ambassadors can only be purchased using the fund.
Mohanty alleged that officials are asking the companies for vehicles to meet their personal requirements. He said that by doing so the Forest Department officials are putting themselves in a compromising position.
According to him, about 25 per cent of vehicles Odisha are engaged in conservation and plantation- oriented jobs.
According to RTI information dated December 10, 2018, the cost of the vehicle used by Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray is Rs 25 lakh. It has been provided to the minister by Tata and was provided to the minister, February 4, 2017 according to the RTI information.
The same company had also given a vehicle to Keonjhar forest divisional officer for carrying out works related to forest conservation in Joda West Manganese Mines.
Not only the minister but senior forest officers in Bhubaneswar and officers of circle head offices are also using such vehicles, alleged Mohanty.
PNN