Rishikesh, Aug 22 (PTI) A senior forest officer has called for a probe into the disappearance of 7,375 boundary pillars from the Mussoorie Forest Division in Uttarakhand, according to an official letter.
In a letter to the head of the Uttarakhand Forest Department, Chief Conservator of Forests (Action Plan), Sanjeev Chaturvedi noted that during a review of the division’s revised action plan, the boundary pillars marked in official maps were not found on the ground.
Demanding a court-monitored CBI investigation or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter, he said the incident is highly unusual and suggested it could not have occurred without the collusion of officials, staff and possible political backing.
Chaturvedi raised fears that the removal of such a large number of boundary markers may have enabled extensive encroachment on forest land for non-forestry uses by vested interests and criminal elements.
He cited earlier instances of forest land encroachment in the Khalanga area of Raipur Range within the Mussoorie Forest Division to support his concerns.
Calling the encroachment a “criminal betrayal” of the state’s ecological security and public assets, Chaturvedi urged phased action against all officials who have served in the Mussoorie division over the years.
He reiterated the need for an independent, high-level investigation to uncover the truth and ensure accountability.
In response, Mussoorie Divisional Forest Officer Amit Kanwar said the missing boundary pillars were discovered during the action plan review.
Legal action will follow post-investigation, Kanwar said. PTI DPT APL NB
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