Asif Iqbal
Srinagar, May 15 : Authorities on Wednesday ordered for suspension of a Block Forest Officer (BFO) over his alleged negligence with regard to ‘illegal’ construction of a bridge in Langate Forest Division, in Handwara of district Kupwara.
Conservator of Forests, Kashmir North Circle, Sopore, in an order, as per GNS, maintained that it has come to their notice that, “illegal construction work of a bridge is being executed on the Forest land in Compartment 32/B, Mawer Forest Block of Langate Forest Division, District Kupwara by the Border Roads Organisation with proper approval of the concerned Forest Department and in utter violation of the Provisions of Indian Forest Act 1927 & Forest Conservation Act, 1980.”
“A similar project, which is also being executed by the instant User Agency, is regarding the Installation of a stone Crusher in the same forest Block i.e Nowgam Forest Block. The case has although been approved but the construction material viz. Boulders/stones are being extracted from the nearby Nallah by the User Agency (FC Gurjan) without having any permission for the same from this Department,” the order reads.
Observing that the Block Forest Officer, Nowgam Mohammad Aslam Lone (Forester) alongside his staffers acted as ‘mute spectators and haven’t even bothered to interrupt the work and has (have) displayed an unacceptable and deplorable approach to their legitimate duties,”, the Conservator Forests further said that in exercise of powers vested in him, the employee namely Mohammad Aslam Lone ‘Forester’ (BO Nowgam) is placed under suspension with immediate effect as a preliminary and prefatory response for the wrongful and serious misconduct/negligence and attached to Divisional Officer, Kamraj Forest Division, Zangli Kupwara.
The Divisional Forest Officer, Langate has been in the meantime asked to submit complete details of the case, as to initiate Departmental investigation could be initiated & set in motion against the erring officer/official.
