[HumJanenge] RTI User in Orissa implicated in false charges by Officials of Forest Dept. – Another testimony of Official-induced Harassment to the Citizen.

RTI User in Orissa implicated in false charges by Officials of  Forest Dept. – Another testimony of Official-induced Harassment to the Citizen(13)

 

Dear friends

 

 Since last few months,  there is an unprecedented development in rural Orissa that more and more people of disadvantaged communities  are coming forward to take up corrupt issues through using RTI in the state of Orissa.  Now RTI is not at all  a cup of tea for urban Middle Class. But  the common people at grass root level have come forward  to assert their right  to access the information and expose  the corruption  and  irregularities  through using RTI  and  taking   risk of life in their Endeavour of  enforcing  a transparent and accountable governance system  in the state. 

 

Mr. Braja Bihari Swain, aged about 66year, a retired employee of Orissa Forest Development Corporation,   in Nayagarh District of Orissa   is the president of 11Mouza Forest Protection Committee (an initiative by people of eleven villages for protecting the forest) for the year 2008 and 2009.  While interacting with the people, he came to know about a massive corruption in CAMPA fund and utilization of  Govt. Grants in Ranapur Forest Range.  He submitted RTI Application  to the PIO, office of Divisional Forest Officer, Khurda to  know the details of CAMPA project and fund allocated and utilized for the same. Tracing out  series of irregularities  in CAMPA project after  having gone through  the information supplied by DFO office, he submitted  a  petition to PCCF- Aranya Bhawan, DG-Vigilance, Govt. of Orissa, Secretary,  Department of  Forest and Environment and Divisonal Forest officer, Khurda for an enquiry and take legal action against the culprits. Being  greatly disturbed and terrified by the complaint petition,  the Range-Officer, Ranpur( Abhay Jena) and Forester, Sankhajodi Beat( Ramesh Chandra Jani) has registered a malicious and false case of illicit tree felling  against him and threatened   to murder   making him  as  co-accused with 18 professional timber mafias in Nayagarh district.

 

Information obtained under RTI  

1. As per the Information obtained under RTI from Divisional Forest Office, Khurda dated 21/ 10/2010, around 10.58lakh rupees have been  spent for plantation in 64 hectare in Mal reserve forest.
2. As per  Information supplied by DFO Khurda (Ranapur forest range office falls under this Division) dated 16th April 2011, around 4.34 lakh was spent for Plantation in 64 hectre in Mal Reserve Forest.

 

3. The above two information do not match each other though both the reports are furnished by the same Office. This variation gives a fishy smell in the whole affairs of plantation in the area.

 

4.  That as per the information supplied by DFO Khurda dated 12th May 2011 where they have supplied 15 cash voucher copies which amounts to around 3.77lakh rupees and this information was given against our question on all the cash voucher copies of the amount of 4.34lakh spent for plantation in 64 hectare in mal reserve forest. In addition to this two cash vouchers vide 87 ® 7/10 and 88( r) 7/10 that amounts to Rs 68,400  were not counter signed by the concerned Range Officer and passed by the DFO Khurda. This shows that the amounts they have been claiming to be spent are not in the vouchers and secondly the DFO has not sincerely examined while signing the Vouchers.

 

  About the False case:

AS per the FIR No 150/11filed dated 10.9. 2011  by Forest Ranger,  Charges  have been leveled against him  under section 294/379/506/149 of IPC and section 25 and 27 of Arms Act. In the above case he has  been made co-accused  along with other 18 members. The intention of filling this case  is to harass him and desist him  from filing complaints and RTI applications against the Ranpur Range Officer. As he was instrumental in filing the RTI applications and petitions, they had targeted him  by filing a false case. At any time, the police may arrest him.

 

 Now he has filed a petition to Orissa Information Commission and Orissa Human Rights Commission  praying for an enquiry into the matter  and  give him justice.

 

Pradip Pradhan

RTI Activist, Orissa

M-99378-43482

Date- 31.10.2011