The police have registered a case against the then secretary of Doon Valley Special Area Development Authority (SADA), officials of the forest and horticulture department along with land mafia elements in the Vikasnagar Kotwali for illegal cutting of fruit trees and unauthorised plotting on about 400 bigha land in areas including Herbertpur, Jivangarh and Dhakrani.
According to the Dehradun police, in a public interest litigation filed by Anuj Kansal the Uttarakhand high court had ordered probe by a special investigation team (SIT) and registering of a case into use of agricultural land/orchards for residential purposes and approval allegedly granted to axing of fruit trees in Herbertpur, Vikasnagar and Dhakrani areas under the purview of SADA. Earlier the probe was being conducted by the SIT headed by the Garhwal inspector general. Later, the police headquarters directed the Kumaon inspector general Ajay Rautela and Dehradun senior superintendent of police Yogendra Singh Rawat to conduct the probe.
Detailed investigation by the SIT revealed that land owners/colonisers had neither sought permission from the government nor mutated the land use before illegally chopping trees and plotting on about 400 bigha land in Herbertpur, Jivangarh and Dhakrani areas. Plots were also sold to various persons and in many cases, trees were not shown in the sale deeds for plots with trees. Further, between 2007 and 2014 the then SADA secretary, Kalsi divisional forest officer, district horticulture officer and other subordinate departmental officers concerned did not take any action against the land owners and colonisers. The officials did not fulfil their responsibility as public servants, stated the police. Based on the report of the SIT, the police have lodged a case against the various persons involved under various sections.
Friday, 05 March 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
