Plantation drive in Sitapur: Was informed late about event, claims Misrikh MP; DFO rebuts charge

In a letter to governor Anandiben Patel, Ashok Kumar Rawat, the MP, demanded that action be taken against the Sitapur district forest officer (DFO). In response, the DFO said he had informed the MP’s office well before the event.

The member of parliament (MP) from Misrikh in Sitapur has claimed that he could not participate in a plantation programme attended by the Uttar Pradesh governor as he was informed late about the event.

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In a letter to governor Anandiben Patel, Ashok Kumar Rawat, the MP, demanded that action be taken against the Sitapur district forest officer (DFO) for the same. In response, the DFO said he had informed the MP’s office well before the event.

“I got information about your arrival for the plantation programme around 10 pm on July 19. As the information was not on time, I could neither welcome you nor participate in the event. I am hurt by this behaviour of the DFO,” the MP wrote in his letter.

“My office had invited the MP to the event on July 18. On July 19, I made a phone call to his office but was able to speak to Ashok Kumar Rawat’s assistant. My office had informed about the event to all public representatives, including the MPs Misrikh and Mohanlalganj,” said Naveen Khandelwal, the Sitapur DFO.

As per the protocol, all public representatives were to be informed about the event in their respective areas. Also, a nodal officer was deployed to conduct the event smoothly.