Arun Singh
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 27: The barracks constructed for the Forest Protection Force (FPF) at a whopping Rs 4.90 Crore are unused for the past one decade.
Pertinently, the FPF are supposed to stay in the field and accommodation at strategic places increases the efficiency of force. But, the authorities seem in no mood to allot the accommodation to the personnel of the force for unknown reasons.
Sources said the Department had constructed 75 barracks for accommodation of field staff of 23 gamma unit Forest Protection Force units during 1997 to 2012 at a cost of Rs 4.90 crore and to make these barracks functional, support staff like cooks, washer-men, sweepers etc., and allied facilities were required to be created.
"But no action in this regard has been taken by the Department to this day. It has been observed further adding that surprisingly, at some location like Poonch, it was seen that barracks built were handed over to Territorial Forest Department for development of eco-tourism.
Besides, 15 residential complexes constructed at a cost of Rs 1.28 crore during 1998-99 to 2007-08 had not been occupied/ allotted as of March 2014 resulting in idle investment, sources maintained.
Pertinently, Forest Protection Force was constituted at 2001 as a statutory Armed Force. As per FPF Act and Rules, the members of the Force are responsible to detect, register and take up investigation of offences under the J&K FPF Act 2001, J&K which empower the forest officers to take cognizance of offences, apprehend the offenders and remain associated in subsequent legal proceedings in courts and bring the offenders to justice. |
