Babus tear apart minister8217;s order

Walia even gave written orders that the rooms should not be touched without first 8220;conducting a proper inquiry into the matter8221;. Walia sent the directive to the secretary of Environment and Forests, H A Arfi, emphasising that the facts of the case have to be verified before demolition.However, the day Walia8217;s orders reached the Department, the roof of the offices were demolished, rendering six officials of the Forest Department without shelter.While Arfi was not available for comment, Walia sounded tired about the episode. 8220;I have asked the Forest Department to stop the demolition. Such a step should be taken only when there is an inquiry intowhat is wrong with the construction of these structures. The laid down law will be followed after verifying the facts,8221; he said.

The three rooms were built in January by the then Chief Conservator of Forests, to accommodate the staff of the Forest Department situated in the Kamla Nehru Ridge area. At present, 45 people are working in just seven rooms of the Department. These officials include the Chief Conservator of Forest, four Deputy Conservators and others.

The three rooms, on 40 square metres, were constructed on the premises of the Department, in place of a dilapidated chowkidar shelter and a store. Says an official: 8220;But any construction on the ridge area is banned. And these three rooms are illegal, so they have to be demolished.8221;

Another official, however, points out, 8220;It is given in the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Section 4, that offices of the Forest Department, roads and other structures given in the Act can be built on the forest land.8221;

February 26: As part of an in-housebureaucratic tussle, an order was passed by the Forest Settlement Officer, excluding the 40 square metres from the 8220;activities essential for the management of forest which should not be treated as encroachment.8221;

April 23: Deputy Conservator of Forests, Ishwar Singh, says in his letter seeking demolition, 8220;In pursuance of the directions issued by Secretary, Environment and Forests, you are hereby directed to remove the unauthorised construction in Kamala Nehru Ridge immediately.8221;

Stressing on the need for immediacy of action, the letter says, 8220;Compliance in this regard may be submitted so that Secretary, Environment and Forest, Chief Secretary and Ridge Management Board be informed accordingly.8221;

April 28: Walia8217;s order to Arfi says, 8220;I will appreciate if a proper inquiry is made and the facts ascertained to know the exact position of this construction before taking any further step.8221;Then he adds, 8220;After getting the inquiry report, the matter should be discussed at the earliest.8221;