Officers to face action for skipping key meeting: DC

A meeting of the district-level committee under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, had to be postponed today due to the absence of the Forest Division officers concerned.

The meeting was to be held under the chairmanship of Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap. Taking a note of the development, the Deputy Commissioner said a departmental action will be taken against the officers who did not come for the meeting.

The DC said the issue of forest rights of nine villages in the Dodra Kwar subdivision was to be resolved and the officers concerned were informed about the meeting on January 27. “Additionally, issues regarding three roads in the Rohru subdivision and two development projects in the Shimla (Urban) area were to be discussed and decisions had to be taken,” he said.

“The DFOs of Rohru and Shimla (Urban) did not come for the meeting, Neither they sent prior intimation. Instead, they had sent Range Officers in their place,” the DC added.

He said this was a serious issue as timely decisions could not be made for the rights granted under the Act and the development activities in the area. He also urged the Principal Secretary (Forests) and the Chief Conservator of Forests to address the issue.

“Absence of officers from such important meetings hampers the timely decision-making on public interests. Such delays hinder taking of concrete decisions for the benefit of the public. No officer should be absent from meetings in future,” the DC said.