It took the Lokayukta more than six years to pass orders based on a complaint against the illegal widening of roads inside the boundaries of the Devarayanadurga State Forest, among the oldest reserve forests of India.
It was on October 16, 2007 that a complaint was lodged with the Karnataka Lokayukta against "maladministration and looting of public wealth" in the Devarayanadurga State Forest. After hearing the respondents and taking in the complainant's responses to the objections of the respondents, the Lokayukta finally issued orders on October 28.
The Lokayukta ordered the deputy commissioner of Tumkur district to provide details of the assistant executive engineer (AEE) during whose tenure the road was illegally widened. An order was also issued to the range forest officer (RFO) of Tumkur Range to file a chargesheet against the AEE, as well as the contractors responsible for illegal widening of the road. The Lokayukta ordered the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) to look into the illegal activities taking place inside Devarayanadurga state forest and other forests across Tumkur district and submit a report within one month.
Commenting on the Lokayukta's orders, Ameen Ahmed of the Wildlife Aware Nature Club (WANC), one of the two complainants, said, "We look forward to seeing the punishment which the contractors and the AEE get. No matter what the punishment is, it will set an example against all such misadventures in the future."
Ahmed also felt that this would set a precedent so that such environmental violations are not carried out not only anywhere else in the state, but in the country as well. He agreed that it had taken the Lokayukta six years to issue orders, but blamed the the huge backlog of cases that the judicial authority has to handle in the state.
According to Ahmed, deep inside the north-western part of Devarayanadurga State Forest, is an eight-feet wide cart track that connects Swandenahalli and Durgadahalli villages (as per the original notification of the forest dated February 19, 1907). In 2007, this track, that lies inside Chinnaga betta area, was broadened to accommodate tractors and lorries without permission either from the state forest department or the Union government which is mandatory under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. Moreover, a new road was created inside the forest deviating from this 8-feet track.
In June 2007, members of Tumkur-based WANC were in the region for birdwatching when they found to their shock that trees inside the forest were being felled, rocks quarried and carried away out of the forest. On June 12, club member Mallikarjun complained in writing to the deputy conservator of forests of Tumkur, attaching photographs as proof of the violations. To find out if his letter had made any difference, Mallikarjun visited the area again in September that year. But, he saw treefelling still being carried out rampantly and flagrantly. Forest wealth was flowing out without any obstruction. He and his companions also realised that the Chinnaga betta road work had, in fact, been completed despite the complaint.
On October 11, Ameen Ahmed and and Mallikarjun approached the Lokayukta superintendent of police, Tumkur, and took him to the area for a site visit. Five days later, they lodged an official complaint. The activities in the area had ceased soon after the complaint was lodged, but the AEE will still have to pay for his dereliction of duty.
Importance of Devarayanadurga forests
Tumkur district lies in the south-eastern part of Karnataka and is among the driest regions of India. Every tree counts and every inch of forest matters, as it is crucial to conserving the region's water sources and tapering the hot summers. Devarayanadurga forest gives birth to scores of streams and feeds thousands of wells in the surrounding villages. The forest is the catchment area of two rivers — Jaya and Mangali — that are dammed at Irrakasandra project and Teeta dam at Goravanahalli.
Why this order is a boost for nature lovers
1) It upholds the sanctity of the original notification of Devarayanadurga issued in 1907 as well as the Survey of India map which were the pillars of our allegations.
2) This order will encourage honest officials who have always stood up for the rule of law to carry out their duties even when under pressure from politicians, particularly of the ruling party. It will desist the corrupt among officials from breaking our forest and wildlife laws at the behest of their political bosses.
— Ameen Ahmed, Wildlife Aware Nature Club (WANC)
