Nagpur: In a belated move, the Nagpur Forestry Division has issued show cause notices to two Range Forest Officers (RFOs) for the failure of 1.10 lakh plantations in the South Umred range.
TOI on February 16 this year reported how the compensatory planting of 1.10 lakh saplings, carried out instead of more than 23,000 large trees felled on NH7 between Mansar-Khawasa, went wrong due to negligence by officers concerned foresters. Over 49.24 hectares of prime forest land in the Tiger Corridor has been diverted to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for road widening.
After an investigative report submitted by the Deputy Conservator of Forests (ACF) Narendra Chandewar last month following the TOI report, action has been taken against the two RFOs.
Speaking to TOI, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DyCF) Bharat Singh Hada confirmed, “We have issued a vindication to RFO PS Tadas and Vaishnavi Jhare who are both in charge of affairs between 2016 and 2021.”
“An explanation has been demanded of them as to why action should not be taken against them. Once we receive responses, a Disciplinary Investigation (DE) will be opened,” Hada said.
Compensatory plantations were carried out in 2016 on 100 hectares of classified and protected forest land. It comprised 27,775 saplings each in compartment numbers 382, ​​289, 356 and 350 at Chikhaldhokda, Mandwa, Mangrud and Salebhatti, respectively, in southern Umred, 65 km from Nagpur.
In this case, NHAI paid over Rs 7.50 crore for compensatory afforestation and net present value (NPV). Of this amount, Rs 3.73 crore was for the cost of compensatory afforestation and over Rs 3.95 crore for NPV.
Regarding the replacement of dead trees, Hada said, “The mortality will be compensated by the funds available under the same title for the maintenance of the trees from the third year.”