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Two chiefs, two committees: Govt to decide who probes khair trees theft
The controversy stems from illegal felling and theft of over 1,000 Khair trees (Acacia catechu) in Asarewali Protected Forest, part of a wildlife sanctuary in Panchkula district.
The incident has already led to the suspension of four forest officials, including two state forest service officers. (Express Photo)
The tussle between the two senior-most Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in Haryana has highlighted a sharp jurisdictional conflict within the forest administration.
A 1989-batch officer, Vineet Kumar Garg, who is the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) in the state, had on March 17 constituted a probe panel headed by IFS officer R Anand to assess wildlife habitat degradation, including the illegal felling of khair trees in protected areas such as the Kalesar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. The committee was asked to submit its report within 15 days.
However, on March 19, Vivek Saxena, a 1991-batch IFS officer serving as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and the Chief Wildlife Warden, issued an order quashing Garg’s committee on jurisdictional grounds. Saxena directed officers to “ensure strict adherence to jurisdictional boundaries and prescribed administrative procedures in future. Violation of this order may lead to action under relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 till an appropriate order is issued by the government in this regard.”
Saxena argued that “PCCF (HoFF) can constitute a committee to inquire in respect of offences in forest areas only at his own level or with government approval” and emphasised that “PCCF (wildlife)-cum-cum Chief Wild Life Warden is responsible to inquire into any offences in protected areas (national parks, sanctuaries etc.) only or offences related to Wild Life Act and can constitute a committee at his own level or with government approval.” He then formed a new inquiry committee headed by IFS officer Subhash Chander to probe the illegal felling in Kalesar National Park, Yamunanagar, with directions to submit a report within 15 days.
The controversy stems from illegal felling and theft of over 1,000 Khair trees (Acacia catechu) in Asarewali Protected Forest, part of a wildlife sanctuary in Panchkula district. The incident has already led to the suspension of four forest officials, including two state forest service officers, while police have arrested several persons, including a forest department staffer.
Saxena’s order also criticised past practices where forest offence reports were compounded under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, rather than invoking the stricter Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He noted that “…officials of forest department in the past have been issuing forest offence reports (damage reports) in respect of illicit tree felling of Khair trees in respect of national parks/sanctuaries also under Indian Forest Act, 1927 and have compounded offences rather than initiating action under the provisions of Wild Life Act, 1972, which has stringent penal provisions of imprisonment up to 3 years under Section 51. This has encouraged forest and wildlife area offenders, resulting in increasing incidents of such offences, as such offenders got relief through compounding of offences under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, from time to time.”
Saxena also sent a copy of his communication to Forest Minister Rao Narbir Singh, requesting “issue an appropriate order so that such incidents do not happen in future and a fair and impartial inquiry may be conducted by the government for the matter of illicit felling of Khair trees in wildlife and non-wildlife areas.”
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When contacted, Garg acknowledged the matter is now before the state government: “Now, the government will take a call on the matter.”
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