CM laid stone of zoological park without Supreme Court nod: BJP

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, March 16

The zoological park proposed by the state government in the Bankhandi area of the Dehra Assembly constituency in Kangra district has landed in controversy. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had recently laid the foundation stone of the park. However, sources said that the foundation stone of the park was laid without the permission of the Supreme Court (SC).

In a judgment delivered recently, the SC had banned the construction of zoos on forestland without its permission. The BJP has accused the state government of misleading the electorate of Dehra by laying the foundation stone of the zoological park without the permission of the SC.

Amitabh Gautam, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Himachal, said that the state had got permission from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for constructing a zoological park in the Bankhandi area of Kangra district. Asked if the permission of the SC had been sought for the zoological park on forestland in Banjhandi, he said that it was for the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to take permission from the apex court for the project.

Gautam said that he had sought clarification from the officials of the Union Ministry of Environment over the issue. They added that they were examining the judgment of the SC and necessary directions would be issued.

BJP spokesperson Sanjay Sharma said the state government was trying to befool people of the state. “The CM should not have laid the foundation stone of the zoological park without the permission of the Supreme Court. It seems either of the officials concerned kept the CM in dark over the project or fooled the people of state,” he said.