By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 4 Sep: The Uttarakhand Government has been forced to go on the backfoot over the recent transfer of IFS officer Rahul as Director of Rajaji National Park. Yesterday, the government had reconsidered its move and chosen to cancel Rahul’s posting as Director, Rajaji National Park, in view of an ongoing inquiry against him regarding the Pakhro Tiger Safari case when he was the Director of Corbett National Park. Today, the government informed the Supreme Court through its counsel that the transfer of Rahul as Director Rajaji National Park had been cancelled.
However, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra and KV Vishwanathan expressed strong objection to the Chief Minister’s order approving appointment of Rahul as the Director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. The court even reprimanded the CM and the Chief Secretary. It dismissed the petition in view of the fact that the transfer had been cancelled yesterday. Hence, Rahul has been transferred out of Rajaji Park in less than a month of him being posted as Director.
It may be recalled that Rahul is currently facing inquiries regarding his alleged role in the Pakhro Tiger Safari “scam” while he was posted as Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve. A file had been moved around a month ago proposing his transfer as Director, Rajaji National Park. However, on 19 July, Principal Secretary, Forests, RK Sudhanshu had made a noting raising objection to the posting in view of the fact that disciplinary proceedings against Rahul are pending. He had also noted Rahul was facing inquiry with respect to the Pakhro scam.
Sources claim that Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal was also not in favour of posting Rahul as Director, Rajaji, in view of the inquiry against him. However, the Chief Minister had allegedly overruled the objections raised by both and had ordered that Rahul be posted as the new Director, Rajaji. The noting made by Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu “somehow” got leaked and the issue snowballed. A national English newspaper published a news story in this respect, forcing Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal to come forward and defend the transfer of Rahul as Director Rajaji by claiming that it was a consensus decision and that neither he nor the Principal Secretary had any objections in this regard.
Sources add that the file that reached the CM’s office had proposed to give additional charge as Director Rajaji National Park to IFS Officer Dharam Singh Meena. Before the controversy could die down, a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court directly, the hearing of which was held today. In view of the developments, the government reconsidered its decision and cancelled the appointment of Rahul as Director Rajaji yesterday and posted him back as Chief Conservator of Forests, Monitoring, Evaluation, IT and Modernisation, at Forest Headquarters, Dehradun, a charge which was held by him prior to his posting as Director Rajaji Park.
During the hearing, today, the Supreme Court today reprimanded Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for his decision to appoint Rahul, who was attached to the headquarters on charges of illegal felling of trees in Corbett Tiger Reserve. Commenting on the Chief Minister’s decision to give the responsibility of the National Park again to the officer facing charges of illegal felling, the court said that the country is no more in a feudal era, where whatever the king says is believed. The Court also noted that the Chief Minister should have given some thought while having a different opinion from his minister and Chief Secretary and should have presented his decision in writing with reasons. The Court also observed that either the officer should be exonerated or departmental proceedings should be dropped before giving charge of a sensitive post to Rahul. ASG ANS Nadkarni, appearing on behalf of the state government, defended the Chief Minister’s decision, saying he has the power to make such an appointment. Initially, the bench considered directing the Chief Minister to file an affidavit to explain his decision. However, after hearing the counsel’s arguments, the bench decided not to record it in its order, and the state promised to give a detailed explanation during the next hearing. The Supreme Court’s comments were made also in the wake of the report of the Central Empowered Committee constituted by the Supreme Court to monitor forest-related matters. According to this report, the appointment of the officer has affected the trust among the stakeholders involved in wildlife conservation. The report also observes that the matter of irregularities in Corbett Tiger Reserve is still pending in the Supreme Court, as are disciplinary proceedings against the officer. The case is also being investigated by the CBI. The Government, knowing that proceedings against the officer are underway and the disciplinary proceedings have still not been completed, should not have appointed him as the Director of a National Park.
