ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Oct 14: The Arunachal Students Association (ASA) has demanded the state government to immediately suspend Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) and Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) of Pasighat Forest Division alleging their repeated failure to check illegal timber logging and misuse of CAMPA funds.
ASU also demanded posting of a dedicated IFS officer in Pasighat Forest Division and constituting a high power committee or SIC to investigate the rampant illegal timber logging in the district.
Addressing the media at the press club here today, President ASA  Lungkang Ering claimed that the officials have failed to control the illegal timber logging as well as the illegal sawmills operating in East Siang district.
He said the team lodged an FIR into the case and accordingly Chief Minister Pema Khandu also instructed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) to take action on it. Subsequently, a central mobile squad (CMS) was formed under Range Forest Officer (RFO) who in his report clearly mentioned that the allegation by the ASA  is ‘true’.
“Surprisingly, the CCF responded to us by alleging that we are involved in the illegal timber logging nexus. Whereas, his office had already submitted a ground report on illegal timber trafficking and operation of sawmills in the area,” he said.
He said ASA also filed a petition in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi as well as in the office of Prime Minister. The office clearly directed the PCCF to investigate the case and accordingly Additional PCCF (APCCF) was appointed to look into the matter.
The additional PCCF visited the place in the month of September for ground verification but surprisingly the entire timber and sawmills were cleared by the officials.   
“However, we insisted on him (APCCF) to visit again other places for ground reality. Subsequently, the team of ASA, APCCF and officials went and showed the proof of illegal timber logging and illegal sawmills operating in the district, especially under Pasighat forest division,” he said.           
He said, now that the department of environment, forest and climate change have sufficient proof regarding the illegal timber logging and operation of illegal sawmills, the union demands the state government to constitute SIC to investigate the case and accordingly bring the head of the nexus.
“We believe the nexus is somewhere supported by the officials of Pasighat forest division. Therefore, an investigation should also be initiated against the DFO Tashi Mize and CCF P Ringu,” he said.   
Likewise, ASA also demands for investigation in the CAMPA funds sanctioned against the forest division where crores of funds was supposed to be utilised in conservation of forest but diverted in flood control works of agriculture of private individuals by the DFO by violating the norms, he added. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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