Nainital, Mar 22 (PTI) The Uttarakhand High Court has restrained Head of Forest Force Vinod Kumar Singhal from taking any policy decisions.
Hearing a petition filed by former head of forest force Rajiv Bhartari challenging his transfer, a division bench of the high court comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice RC Khulbe on Monday asked Singhal, who had replaced Bhartari, not to take any policy decisions.
It also said that if there is a process underway to appoint a permanent forest chief, it must be stayed till March 28. The court also asked the Deputy Advocate General who appeared on behalf of the state government in the case, if Bhartari was removed in connection with violation of norms in the Corbett Tiger Reserve why the same action was not taken against the Director of Corbett National Park.
The court has fixed March 28 as the next date of hearing in the case.
Bhartari was removed as HoFF on November 25, 2021 and made Chairman of the Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board following an inquiry in which it was found that illegal constructions had been made in violation of the norms in Corbett.
Bhartari had challenged his transfer on the ground that he was the senior most Indian Forest Service Officer in the state. PTI Corr ALM RCJ
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Source: The Print
