Apathy upsets forest officials

MUMBAI: The apathy of higher-ups in the forest department toward the officials who were beaten up in Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary on April 30, has upset forest officials.
An offence has been registered and the matter has been reported to higher-ups in the forest department and the judicial magistrate, Thane. But officials lament that nothing has been done after that. But what has really hurt them is that the construction of the “illegal” ashram inside the sanctuary has gained momentum after the incident.
A team of forest officials led by assistant conservator of forest (ACF) VP Patil and range forest officer (RFO) Suresh Darade raided Sadanandbaba Ashram in Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary on April 30, and tried to confiscate four peacocks illegally domesticated there. However, the devotees, led by one of the trustees of the ashram, Atmaram Patil, allegedly assaulted the officials injuring them. Darade sustained serious injuries, and his collar bone was fractured.
The state forest ministry has sent a note to the home ministry seeking action against the culprits.
“We sent an official note on April 30 to the additional chief secretary, home, for immediate action,” said JP Dange, additional chief secretary, revenue and forest. However, he admitted that there had been no follow-up.
The ministry should follow up the matter on a daily basis. Otherwise, officials would back-track from taking action against illegal activities inside protected forests, a senior forest officer said.
Sources in the ministry said the ashram trust had approached the centre and even the Supreme Court twice to regularise the construction. However, both the applications had been rejected. “There is an urgent need to send a strong message to the police department so that similar incidents are dealt with a firm hand in future,” said a senior forest official with the wildlife wing of the department.
“After the attack we demanded police protection for our staff posted at the gates. But nothing has been done till date,” said Darade, who is recuperating in a hospital.