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Journalism of Courage
In what its director has termed sheer jealousy of the state police,Kanker-based Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College the countrys premier institute to train security forces for anti-Naxal operations has in a departmental inquiry been found guilty of everything from irregularities in buying horses to neglecting security by not stocking anti-venom kits.
The probe has also recommended removal of director B K Ponwar,a retired brigadier who has held the post since the formation of the counter-terrorism college,for infusion of some young blood. The Indian Express has a copy of the report.
The college,which is under the state police and has ADG (Naxal) Ramnivas as its supervising authority,was established as the Chhattisgarh government felt the state police was not equipped to confront Naxals. With a staff of nearly 300,it gives training to 2,000-2,500 securitymen every year and sofar around 15,000 have been trained in advanced combat.
While only state police were imparted training earlier,following its popularity personnel of the CRPF,the BSF and the ITBP and policemen of other states also come here now.
Situated in the thick forests of Kanker,surrounded by hills and rivers,the college is the only training institute of its kind in the country that replicates actual conditions.
The inquiry,conducted by a senior IPS officer,accuses the college administration of fraudulent promotions,buying old horses that died of senility,and illegal construction of airstrip without DGCA approval. According to Ponwar,This is all nonsense,sheer jealousy of the state police.
The charges:
Irregularities in purchase and maintenance of horses
* A horse,Donatello,was purchased in 2006 for Rs 1,20,000 but soon died of septicaemia.
* Another horse,Evidence,was bought the same year for Rs 85,000. At the time its age was reported to be six years. However,a postmortem (it died in 2009) showed its age as 19,and the cause of death as senility and weak muscles. An old horse was purchased but shown on papers as a young one, says the report.
* Texon,whose age at the time of purchase in 2006 was said to be 6 years,was shown after its death in 2009 to be 17 years old. The cause of death was damage to diaphragm.
Says Ponwar: If horses die,its not my responsibility. There is no veterinary doctor here. I didnt come here to look after the horses but to teach anti-Naxal operations.
Fraudulent promotions
Ponwar promoted Assistant Platoon Commander Narendra Singh and Prithvi Pal Singh as platoon commander in a fraudulent manner. Ponwar does not have authority to promote any college staff, says the report.
According to Ponwar: The so-called promotions were not made by me,but a Lt Colonel in my absence. In fact,they were not promotions at all,just awarding of honorary rank,permission to wear a different badge in recognition of good work.
Negligence in security
Why should a college meant for training skills to fight Naxals have snake-catching in its curriculum? In case of a snakebite,and in the absence of anti-venom,any kind of casualty can take place, said an officer.
Says Ponwar: If you catch a snake properly,youll never be bitten. No one has been bitten by a snake here in the past five years.
Irregularities in construction work
* In 2009,a 1,300-m airstrip was being constructed on college campus without DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) approval. The DGCA guidelines state that an airstrip be a minimum 1,500 m long.
* The director is entitled to a D type government residence,but spent Rs 75 lakh on this,more than even the Rs 60 lakh entitlement for an A type residence.
About the airstrip,Ponwar explains: I only wanted to construct a straight road that can be,if required,used as an Advanced Landing Ground.
As for the expenses on his residence,the director said: I have no residence… it was constructed by the PWD and belongs to the state government.
He also claimed that the state government had not considered his request for medical staff,including a doctor and nursing attendants.
