By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 27 Feb: Minister of State Rekha Arya who holds independent charge of Animal Husbandry has demanded SIT inquiry against Dr Avinash Anand, CEO of Uttarakhand Sheep & Wool Development Board. She has urged Chief Secretary Om Prakash to order an inquiry against Anand. It may be recalled that former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi had initially raised questions about “corruption”in the Sheep and Wool Development Board. She had also accused the Board’s CEO, Dr Avinash Anand, of importing low quality marine sheep from Australia at a very high price. Along with this, she had also alleged that CEO had assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Arya has now reminded the Chief Secretary that the board’s CEO, Dr Avinash Anand had arbitrarily terminated the deputation of Veterinary Officer Dr Mukesh Kumar Dumka to his parent department without taking her into confidence. She claimed that Dr Anand had exceeded his authority in doing so as the transfer between two departments was under the jurisdiction of the government. Dumka, was posted as Manager Kumaon Division in the State Sheep, Goat Sheshak Palak Cooperative Federation. In addition to writing a letter to the Chief Secretary, Arya has also directed Director of Animal Husbandry Department Dr KK Joshi, to order an inquiry besides herself seeking an explanation from Dr Anand. It may be recalled that based on an anonymous letter supposedly received by him, Union Minister Giriraj Singh has also urged the state government to look into the complaints in respect of the Sheep and Wool Board CEO.
