Panchayat chief faces action

AHWA Dangs, July 30: Congress-ruled Dangs district zila panchayat president Jayaben Patel, who was arrested recently by the forest depa...

AHWA Dangs, July 30: Congress-ruled Dangs district zila panchayat president Jayaben Patel, who was arrested recently by the forest department for illegal felling of teak wood and subsequently granted bail by the High Court, can be suspended if Dangs Collector Kanti A Patel so recommends.

Talking to Express Newsline, a senior forest official said the recommendation could come about after Patel was chargesheeted.

Patel came under fire, when a teakwood-laden truck overturned, killing three labourers on the night of May 9. Patel8217;s personal assistant, who was escorting the truck, informed her about the incident and she subsequently lodged an FIR with the police in Ahwa.

When the police reached the site of the accident, labourers travelling with the consignment reportedly told them they had been asked to cut down teak trees in the reserved forest 8212; a serious offence 8212; by the zilla panchayat president for 8220;repairs8221; in her house in Sabir village.

On investigation, the police reportedly discovered that the truck had been hired by Patel and the three dead, too, were panchayat employees, among the 10-odd despatched by her for the job. The forest department impounded 4.118 cubic meters of teak wood, valued at Rs 60,000.

In all, 15 cases were registered against 15 people. While the truck driver was remanded to police custody, Patel was released on bail on July 13, the day she was arrested. The North Dangs DFO said the police and the forest department were on the lookout for the vehicle escorting the truck. Once that vehicle is caught, a chargesheet will be filed, following which the collector will have to recommend to the government to suspend her.

While Patel refused to talk to Express Newsline, her personal secretary claimed the case was politically motivated to implicate the 8220;innocent8221; panchayat president.

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Investigating officer G M Damor, however, said the police had evidence the wood was being taken for repairs to Patel8217;s house. Confirming the panchayat president8217;s involvement, Dangs Collector Kanti Patel said, 8220;She was indeed involved. I have reports that she sent labourers to cut wood for her use8221;.

A zilla panchayat member, requesting anonymity, told Express Newsline that Patel had told him she needed wood to repair her house. Since getting permits to cut wood for the construction of houses was cumbersome, she had resorted to these tactics, he said, denying, however, any political angle to the episode.

Admitting that Patel had embarrassed the Congress, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Kadir Pirzada said if she was convicted, she could be expelled from the party.

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