Forest officials accumulated millions
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 8: Governor Satya Pal Malik today said that corrupt people no matter to which party they belong to or how big they are won’t be spared by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
He told reporters on the sidelines of launch of plantation drive at Gupkar in Zabarwan hills that the ACB is working now and no one will be spared. “There is no vendetta (against anyone). In its natural course, the way ACB is working now, we won’t let go big fishes. No one will be spared whether he belongs to any party or, however, big he is. No one is big before the law. I am here. I am not going anywhere,” he said.
Malik said that there is no vendetta in these raids, adding that the natural course of action will be initiated without any consideration. “I am still here. I am not going anywhere yet and all those found guilty won’t go unpunished. All are equal before the law,” he said.
The Governor said that those in charge of the State’s forests have made millions through dubious means and asserted that his administration will not spare anyone who indulged in corrupt practices.
He said several people, who worked in the Forest Department in the State, had accumulated millions of rupees by destroying forests.
“See the bungalows in Vasant Vihar or Maharani Bagh in Delhi of those who worked in the Forest Department. I know several families who have made millions as they had the charge of Forests. The forests of Jammu and Kashmir have been destroyed painfully. They are our lungs and we are alive because of them,” he said.
Malik said that Jammu and Kashmir was one of the richest States across India with regard to flora and fauna. “J&K has all kinds of plants available used for manufacturi ng of medicines, bats and other things but the number of these plants are shrinking,” he said.
Malik stated that these plants are the reason of survival of humans. He said that due to the plantation at Dachigam, the place has zero percent pollution, therefore, the administration has started a drive to plant at least 50,00000 saplings till June next year, adding that he will himself monitor the sapling he planted today and will take every precautions to preserve the plant.
Referring to a query, the Governor said that the people of Kashmir are by and large very good but they have been betrayed and were not shown the right path. “I believe the people of Kashmir if shown a right path unitedly then J&K will become one of the best States across India,” he added.
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