Stone laid in 2011, forest rest house awaits funds

Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi

Hoshiarpur, February 21

The Mukerian range officer has been running office from his residence as even after six years of laying the foundation stone of the forest rest house, no funds have been allocated for its construction.

The stone was laid by then Minister for Forests and Mukerian MLA Arunesh Shakir in 2011. The old building was dismantled and since there was no place left, the office was shifted to range officer’s residence.

Built in 1945-46, the forest range office-cum-rest house in Mukerian was in a deteriorated condition.

A major part of the seven-decade-old building had collapsed years ago. Hence, the range officer’s office was also dismantled considering it unsafe.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Gilbert Samson confirmed that the range office was being run from the range officer’s residence as the old building was dismantled in 2011 after a part of it had collapsed in rain.

He said the new building was proposed to be raised from the NVP (Net Value Paid) funds for the forest land acquired for construction or widening of national highways.

However, immediately after the stone was laid, the Union Ministry, following the Supreme Court’s orders, directed that the funds should be transferred to the Central funds and now a committee appointed by the SC looks after the allocation of funds,” he added.

The DFO said the NVP funds could now be used for planting trees and afforestation only. “The construction will start whenever the funds will be provided and since there is no proposal by the department to construct it from any other funds, the old plan lies dumped,” he added.