Staff shut Dudhwa entrance over Kheri DM’s night safaris
EXPLANATION Chief secy summons DM, dy director, hears their versions
On Nov 24, DM directed us to make arrangements for her stay in the park area. I declined this because a judge was staying there. I have no personal enmity against her but the staff is upset with her style of functioning. PP SINGH, deputy director (Dudhwa Tiger Reserve)
LUCKNOW: Lakhimpur Kheri district magistrate Kinjal Singh on Monday met chief secretary Alok Ranjan to furnish an explanation on the charges that her frequent visits to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in the Dudhwa National Park area were causing threats to wildlife.
The accusations against the DM ranged from trespassing to over-speeding by her vehicles in the park and causing disturbance to the wildlife. Chief secretary Alok Ranjan had summoned the DM, along with deputy director (Dudhwa Tiger Reserve) PP Singh, to hear their points.
The employees locked the main entrance to the park on Monday in support of their demand that the district magistrate be transferred immediately. Scores of tourists trying to go on a safari had to return disappointed owing to the strike. Earlier, on Sunday, the agitating officials had allowed only those tourists who had already booked their stay to visit Dudhwa.
It was on chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s directive that the chief secretary summoned the DM and the deputy director. The chief secretary later said, there was only a communication gap between both the sides and issues were resolved after hearing them.
But the statements by the two sides indicated that the controversy was unlikely to die down so early.
“It is because of her (DM’s) frequent movements, videography and photography in the area that a tigress (with cubs) is moving in the areas of human population. This may lead to killing of tigress or an attack on the human population,” said PP Singh while speaking to journalists after meeting the chief secretary here this afternoon.
“On September 24, at 10pm, the district magistrate asked me to provide a Gypsy (deployed for patrolling in the area) to her. I informed her that visiting the park area at night would only disturb the wildlife. But she (DM) said she is the district magistrate and could visit the area at her own will. After November 22, she demanded a patrol Gypsy almost every second or third day,” said the deputy director.
“On many occasions, barriers have been broken and the vehicles have moved in the park area at a high speed of 70 to 80 km per hour,” he said.
“On November 24, she directed us to make arrangements for her stay in the park area. I declined this because a judge was staying there. I have no personal enmity against the district magistrate but the employees are upset with her for her style of functioning in the past one year. They sent a memorandum to the chief minister,” he said.
On the other hand, the district magistrate, after meeting the chief secretary, said “I was summoned by the chief secretary to brief him on the whole issue. I have briefed him. He will take an appropriate decision now.”
Asked about the demand for her removal, the district magistrate said, “Removal of an officer has to be a decision of the state government. I will follow the state government’s decision. I have put up my point of view before chief secretary.” The district magistrate was, however, not available for any further comments on the accusations the deputy director made against her.
Three days ago, the officebearers of Federation of Forest Association had sent a complaint to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav demanding transfer of Kheri DM Kinjal Singh. The office-bearers accused the Kheri DM of violating the park rules and harassing the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve officials and field staff. They had demanded action by November 28 and went on strike after that.