On the complaint of a Right to Information (RTI) activist regarding a path built through a forest in Hoshiarpur to visit a religious place being used by a stone crusher, the Punjab government’s Principal Secretary of Mines and Geology, Krishan Kumar, has marked an enquiry to the chief engineer of drainage and mining, directing him to probe the matter. The complainant, Parvinder Singh Kitna, alleged in his complaint that a private company’s stone crusher is using a path, which was carved out on the plea of the people of Rampur Billdon village of Hoshiarpur, made to visit a religious place in the forest area. He alleged that heavy laid vehicles have been destroying the forest’s local flora and fauna by illegally using the path. Kumar has directed the Chief Engineer to enquire into the matter and take the help of other staff members if needed, including Hoshiarpur’s Executive Engineer of Mining. Kumar has directed the CE to submit the report by May 25. Kitna said that he raised the matter in 2018 also but no heed was paid. Now he hopes that the secretary may put an end to the damage being done to the forest.
