RTI User in Orissa implicated in false charges by Officials of Forest Dept. – Another testimony of Official-induced Harassment to the Citizen(13)
Dear friends
Since last few months, there is an unprecedented development in rural Orissa that more and more people of disadvantaged communities are coming forward to take up corrupt issues through using RTI in the state of Orissa. Now RTI is not at all a cup of tea for urban Middle Class. But the common people at grass root level have come forward to assert their right to access the information and expose the corruption and irregularities through using RTI and taking risk of life in their Endeavour of enforcing a transparent and accountable governance system in the state.
Mr. Braja Bihari Swain, aged about 66year, a retired employee of Orissa Forest Development Corporation, in Nayagarh District of Orissa is the president of 11Mouza Forest Protection Committee (an initiative by people of eleven villages for protecting the forest) for the year 2008 and 2009. While interacting with the people, he came to know about a massive corruption in CAMPA fund and utilization of Govt. Grants in Ranapur Forest Range. He submitted RTI Application to the PIO, office of Divisional Forest Officer, Khurda to know the details of CAMPA project and fund allocated and utilized for the same. Tracing out series of irregularities in CAMPA project after having gone through the information supplied by DFO office, he submitted a petition to PCCF- Aranya Bhawan, DG-Vigilance, Govt. of Orissa, Secretary, Department of Forest and Environment and Divisonal Forest officer, Khurda for an enquiry and take legal action against the culprits. Being greatly disturbed and terrified by the complaint petition, the Range-Officer, Ranpur( Abhay Jena) and Forester, Sankhajodi Beat( Ramesh Chandra Jani) has registered a malicious and false case of illicit tree felling against him and threatened to murder making him as co-accused with 18 professional timber mafias in Nayagarh district.
Information obtained under RTI
- As per the Information obtained under RTI from Divisional Forest Office, Khurda dated 21/ 10/2010, around 10.58lakh rupees have been spent for plantation in 64 hectare in Mal reserve forest.
- As per Information supplied by DFO Khurda (Ranapur forest range office falls under this Division) dated 16th April 2011, around 4.34 lakh was spent for Plantation in 64 hectre in Mal Reserve Forest.
- The above two information do not match each other though both the reports are furnished by the same Office. This variation gives a fishy smell in the whole affairs of plantation in the area.
- That as per the information supplied by DFO Khurda dated 12th May 2011 where they have supplied 15 cash voucher copies which amounts to around 3.77lakh rupees and this information was given against our question on all the cash voucher copies of the amount of 4.34lakh spent for plantation in 64 hectare in mal reserve forest. In addition to this two cash vouchers vide 87 ® 7/10 and 88( r) 7/10 that amounts to Rs 68,400 were not counter signed by the concerned Range Officer and passed by the DFO Khurda. This shows that the amounts they have been claiming to be spent are not in the vouchers and secondly the DFO has not sincerely examined while signing the Vouchers.
About the False case:
AS per the FIR No 150/11filed dated 10.9. 2011 by Forest Ranger, Charges have been leveled against him under section 294/379/506/149 of IPC and section 25 and 27 of Arms Act. In the above case he has been made co-accused along with other 18 members. The intention of filling this case is to harass him and desist him from filing complaints and RTI applications against the Ranpur Range Officer. As he was instrumental in filing the RTI applications and petitions, they had targeted him by filing a false case. At any time, the police may arrest him.
Now he has filed a petition to Orissa Information Commission and Orissa Human Rights Commission praying for an enquiry into the matter and give him justice.
Pradip Pradhan
RTI Activist, Orissa
M-99378-43482
Date- 31.10.2011
No comments:
Post a Comment