Rs 1 crore commission from 1 contractor, 100 firms engaged in forest works, it was easy money that lured Dharamsot into it

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, June 7

Illegal felling of khair trees for easy money and corruption in transfers and postings are two main issues that gained notoriety for the Punjab Forest Department that once won accolades for protecting and increasing the state’s forest cover.

The increasing web of illegal farmhouses in the Shivalik hills points towards the state of affairs in the department, otherwise meant to be the custodian of the forest.

The Punjab vigilance bureau is in the possession of a diary that contains details of payments made to various persons from 2017 onwards. The diary was being maintained by contractor Harminder Singh Hummy

Sources say former Punjab Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, his middlemen and a coterie of officials in the department were allegedly pocketing huge money by allowing illegal felling of trees. While Dharamsot has been arrested, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has recommended prosecution or departmental action against several officials. Several reports recommending departmental action against officials are learnt to have been pushed under the carpet by the minister and his team.

Vigilance officials say the former minister allegedly made more than Rs 100 crore through commissions in felling of trees and allowing other works related to the department. He is learnt to have been charging Rs 1 crore commission from one contractor and there were more than 100 contractors engaged for forest works, officials said.

Dharamsot has also been accused of extending illegal benefits to Kurali-based DK Industries whose owner Bidhichand illegally purchased felled trees despite the fact that he didn’t possess a licence for wood industry.