Gadchiroli Feb. 24 (District Correspondent) Social activist Mukesh Kawle who has seated on indefinite dharna to demand action against the officials of the forest department and the contractors responsible for illegal excavation of murram and soil and illicit felling of trees in Kasansur Range of the Bhamragad forest division will now be launching ‘half naked dhol bajao’ agitation from Feb. 25 next and fast unto death will be launched in front of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests office in Nagpur, in protest against the forest department’s inaction into the case.
Mr. Kawle himself informed this in a press conference at the Press Club here this afternoon. Today was the 11 th day of his dharna agitation.
The contractors engaged in the construction of bridge and roads under Kasansur Range illegally excavated murram and soil from the forest and private land and looted the government property worth crores of rupees. On the complaint of Mr. Kawle, detailed enquiry was conducted by the forest department and action against the RFO Khandate and other officials was also recommended by the forest authorities, but the senior have been neglecting the issue, told Mr. Kawle.
On October 10, 2024, Mukesh Kawle went on a hunger strike to raise the same demand when the authorities had given a written assurance of strict action within 3 months. However, even after three months, no action has been taken against the concerned officials. The Principal Secretary of the Forest Department had ordered the Chief Conservator of Forests, Gadchiroli, to take strict action within 3 days in the illegal mining case. However, even after 11 days, this order has not been implemented, told Mr. Kawle.
The officials who looted the government’s natural resources should be suspended and a judicial inquiry should be initiated, forest cases should be registered against the guilty contractors and criminal cases be filed against them in court, the orders of the Principal Secretary should be implemented immediately and the guilty should be severely punished, are the other demands, Kawle told.
Mr. Sandeep Yegantiwar, Dnyaneshwar Chaudhary, Ganesh Kavale, Shubham Pulliwar etc. were also present at the press conference.
