CEC to Meet Chief Secy Over Forest Land Status Change

A forest department staff member said on Sunday that the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has called Jharkhand chief secretary (CS) Alka Tiwari for a meeting regarding the change in the legal status of an 85.75-acre notified protected forest plot in Bokaro.

- Raj Kumar

RANCHI:

The change goes against the guidelines issued by the Union government and the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.

The staff member stated that the action was taken based on a report by Bokaro divisional forest officer (DFO) Rajneesh Kumar.

"Bokaro DFO Rajneesh Kumar informed the CEC, North Chotanagpur commissioner, and other authorities of the state government about the change in the legal status of notified protected forest plot numbers 426 and 450, with a notified area of 85.75 acres from "jungle jhadi" to "old fallow" in Mauja-Tetulia, Thana Chas, Thana No. 38 in Bokaro district, a week ago. Following this, action has been taken, and a meeting is scheduled for February 6 in New Delhi," the forest department official said, sharing the notice of the meeting.