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Constructions in Sukhna catchment area: Green ministry orders probe into ‘tweaked’ minutes of meeting
This comes over a month after Chandigarh administrator Banwarilal Purohit recommended a CBI inquiry into the matter in the second week of June
The Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change has ordered an inquiry into the alleged manipulations in the minutes of a meeting of the State Board for Wildlife of Chandigarh held last year, and subsequent clearance for construction in Sukhna catchment and sanctuary area.
This comes over a month after UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit recommended a CBI inquiry into the matter in the second week of June.
The administrator during a press conference back then had said the probe was one of the reasons for Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer Debendra Dalai’s transfer.
Dalai, who was transferred to Arunachal Pradesh on May 26, was holding the posts of chief conservator of forest and environment director in Chandigarh before being shifted.
The ministry has directed the deputy director general of forests, Chandigarh, to conduct the inquiry and submit the report to the UT administration within one month.
The directions came after UT adviser Dharam Pal wrote to the ministry, requesting appointment of an independent one-man committee under the chairmanship of the deputy director general of forests, UT, to investigate the entire episode and determine whether the officers/competent authorities under the administration acted in accordance with the rules/regulations or misused their powers.
As per information available, in mid-May, a complaint was lodged with the UT administrator regarding six illegal constructions — two by Chandigarh builders and four by Punjab builders — in the Sukhna catchment and sanctuary area.
It is pertinent to mention here that all construction activities are banned in the Sukhna catchment and sanctuary area due to its eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) status, notified by the environment ministry in 2017.
In 2017, the Delhi high court had rejected the proposal to construct a 95-metre high and 28-storey building project named “Camelot” in the Kansal area of Sukhna catchment, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in November 2019.
According to sources, Dalai has already submitted his reply to CBI. Despite repeated attempts, the officer could not be contacted for comments.
What happened in June 2022
As per allegations, during a State Board for Wildlife meeting on June 27, 2022, which was chaired by the UT administrator, the then chief wildlife warden-cum-member secretary, Debendra Dalai, brought an additional agenda about some building projects. But the agenda was not discussed.
But, in the minutes of the meeting, it was mentioned that after discussion (that were never held), it was decided that no further action was needed against the projects and the board had decided to close the matter, as the stalled projects were currently facing legal proceedings.
However, a complaint was lodged with the UT administrator regarding clearance given for construction of four projects in Punjab’s Sukhna catchment area.
A senior UT officer said when the UT administrator came to know that the agenda had been approved, even though he had never given the go-ahead, an internal inquiry was conducted.
On May 22, in-camera proceedings were held and Dalai’s statement was also recorded, which was followed by his transfer on May 26, the officer added.
