The Karnataka government on June 21 issued orders to suspend  Chakrapani Y,  Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Bengaluru Urban division, until further orders.

Bengaluru : 

The Karnataka government on June 21 issued orders to suspend  Chakrapani Y,  Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Bengaluru Urban division, until further orders.

Chakrapani was earlier working as DCF, Virajpet division. Conservationists, activists and experts questioned the State Government’s decision to appoint him despite the allegations against him.

The orders have been issued citing the case of illegal felling of trees in Survey Nos. 76/35 and 76/1, Kutta village, Virajpet taluk. The PPCF, vigilance, in a letter dated February 4, 2023, had stated that after a detailed investigation, the officer was said to be involved in the case and in the guise of planting teak trees, the property owner had axed the trees. 

It was also pointed that the signatures were forged of the land owner for 66 fully-grown mature trees in adjacent encroached government land located 10m from Nagarhole Tiger Reserve and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. In the order, it has also been pointed that the government seal and signatures were also forged. Knowing all this, the DCF is said to have given transportation permission, it said. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / June 23rd, 2023