Nagpur | May 11, 2015: In perhaps one of the biggest illegal mining scams in the country, at Pachgaon near Nagpur, at least 21 forest officials and employees may face action if the list submitted to the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court is considered.

On April 20, a bench of justice AB Chaudhari and justice PN Deshmukh, hearing a criminal application filed by mine owner Anil Bhable, who was booked for mining illegally on a big chunk of forest land, had said that it was quite sure that the area excavated must have been done over the years in connivance with forest staff.

"It would not have been possible without the active connivance of the forest officers and staff," the court said. The court had asked the forest department to submit names of officers and staff who neglected or ignored excavation in forest land abutting survey numbers 255 and 256 when they were supposed to oversee the said area.

The deputy conservator of forest (DyCF) submitted a list of 21 employees who were posted in Nagpur division from January 1, 2001 to November 1, 2013, the period when mining on forest land and encroachments was rampant in Pachgaon. The court was told that it was the responsibility of these officials to prohibit mining.

The list includes seven assistant conservators of forests (ACFs), six range forest officers (RFOs), four round officers (ROs), four forest guards and a van majoor. Some of the ACFs were promoted as DFOs while some RFOs have become ACFs, while some of them have retired.

However, the DyCF has held responsible only three RFOs, three ROs and two forest guards and a van majoor. In his reply to the court, the DyCF has said a clarification has been sought from these officials following which action will be taken. Under the land revenue code (LRC), powers to remove encroachments rests with the ACFs. Interestingly, names of senior officers of the rank of deputy conservators (DyCFs), who headed the Nagpur division, and chief conservators (CCFs), who headed the Nagpur circle and were equally responsible for the mess, have been omitted.

On May 6, justice Chaudhari and Deshmukh had already directed recovery of lost revenue from each of the mine owners, including the petitioner. The HC has also directed registration of FIRs under Indian Forest Act as well as IPC sections against forest officers and employees for abetment in two months. It had also asked to initiate departmental enquiries (DE) for misconduct against erring officials.

TOI was the first to report illegal mining in Pachgaon and adjoining Chimnazari. According to the petition, a huge sum was demanded by forest officials concerned from the petitioner to settle the matter. Documents in possession of TOI show that since 2002 more than 200 PORs were filed against illegal miners in Pachgaon, Khapri (Raja), and Chimnazari for encroachments and mining on forest land, but there was not a single action till 2013.

The question was who reaped the benefits of illegal mining? Didn't any senior official ever visit Pachgaon? In 2003, the forest department itself had measured its land with the help of taluka land record (TLR) officials and had registered offences but no action was taken. "Role of all the officials who served in Nagpur division during this period needs to be investigated," said senior officials.

TOI had found that forest land has been badly ravaged by making roads to transport material. MSEDCL too violated forest laws by installing electric poles for miners without seeking forest land diversion. The SC orders say that no mining leases, including renewal, should be permitted up to 250 metres from the boundary of any forest area. The rule is applicable all over India.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)