The Madhya Pradesh forest department has ordered a probe into the visit of the Union minister of state for renewable energy, Bhagwanth Khuba, in the core area of the Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR) during monsoon, when the reserve is closed for visitors, a forest official said on Monday.
Satpura field director, L Krishnamurthy, said the inquiry will be conducted by a Pachmarhi range officer.
The inquiry was ordered after environmentalist Ajay Dubey filed a complaint with the forest department against the minister’s entry into the core area during the monsoon when the movement of outsiders is restricted as per the wildlife regulations. In MP, the national parks and tiger reserves remain closed from July 1 to September 30.
According to the complaint letter to the MP forest department and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Khuba visited the core area of the STR with the help of the reserve management on September 23.
The Union minister also shared a video on his Twitter account on the same day, where he can be seen doing a safari in a government vehicle with the forest officials.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji opposes VVIP culture. He had recently mentioned this while releasing the cheetahs in Kuno. Now, action should be taken against the person responsible for the VVIP culture,” Dubey said in his complaint.
{{/usCountry}}“Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji opposes VVIP culture. He had recently mentioned this while releasing the cheetahs in Kuno. Now, action should be taken against the person responsible for the VVIP culture,” Dubey said in his complaint.
{{/usCountry}}The above-mentioned forest official said that after receiving the complaint, MP’s additional principal chief conservator of forest, Shubhranjan Sen, instructed field director Krishnamurthy to probe the matter and sent a report to the department.
However, Krishnamurthy refused to divulge the details of the incident.
“I can’t comment on it but the Pachmarhi range officer will probe the matter and send the report to the forest department.”
Despite repeated attempts, Khuba couldn’t be contacted for comment.