Is there an all out between Kathua’s Singhs? Businesses linked to Lal raided in two distts

JAMMU: An allegedly dormant rivalry between already embattled BJP leaders Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and ousted Forest Minister Choudhary Lal Singh today appeared to have come in the open with certain actions of the government agencies pointing to this possibility.

Ever since his ousting as the Forest Minister, Choudhary Lal Singh has been opening lashing out at the Chief Minister and state leadership of the BJP for allegedly making him scapegoat in the Kathua rape and murder case.

On Thursday Lal Singh’s brother addressed a press conference in Kathua in which he opening criticised and denigrated Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh for not speaking on the Kathua incident and supporting the demand of CBI inquiry. Incidentally the same day the Chief Minister allocated the charge of Forest department to Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh.

Soon after assuming the charge of department vacated by Lal Singh, Nirmal Singh ordered unprecedentedly high level reshuffle in the Forest Department which also included the change of the Head of Forest Force (HOFF). Sources familiar with the development said that the officers seen close to Lal Singh were sent to relatively insignificant positions.

A day after this major reshuffle, the Police and the vigilance wing of the Forest department Saturday raided forest based industrial units in Kathua and Samba districts. These units dealing in Khair wood are seen linked to the business interests of Lal Singh and his family members.

In a day of swift developments, the SSP Kathua proceeded on leave while as his charge was given to Rajesh Sharma, Staff Officer to IGP Jammu Zone. A team of Police under the supervision of Sharma raided Katha factories of Ram Avatar Aggarwal and Ritesh Gupta in Kathua.

Ram Avtar Aggarwal of JK Textile Mills is believed to be closely associated with Lal Singh. Sources say that he manages several legitimate businesses of Lal Singh including DPS in Kathua. Ram Avtar has been booked under FIR number 29 of 2018 under sections 420,109 and 120 of RPC at Police Station Lakhanpur.

In a connected development, the Police, along with Forest officials, also raided Jammu Textiles, another factory in Samba district.

Meanwhile, in another development, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) headed by Chief Secretary, B B Vyas Friday in its 106thmeeting cleared several proposals of urgent developmental and public importance, on the specified terms and conditions.

Financial Commissioner Revenue, Lokesh Dutt Jha, Commissioner Secretary Forest, Ecology and Environment, Saurabh Bhagat, Secretary PHE, I&FC, M Raju, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF) Ravi Kumar Kesar, Director Environment and Remote Sensing, Om Prakash Sharma, Chief Conservator Forests Jammu, Syed FA Gillani, Chief Engineer PMGSY, SP Manhas, Chief Engineer PHE Kashmir, MK Najaf and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

The proposals cleared included the use of forest land for construction of PMGSY roads, railway tracks and bridges in various forest divisions of the state including construction of road from Banjian to Nokan in Billawar Forest Division, construction of operational track from Maidan Behak to Ringsar in Kamraj Forest Division, construction of foundation of AI-P3 of bridge No: 43 of USBRL Project under District Reasi in Reasi Forest Division, construction of Bridge No 85 and 87 in forest range of USBRL northern Railway in Mahore Forest Division, station yard Reasi on Katra-Reasi section of USBRL project by Northern Railway in Reasi Forest Division and construction of tunnels for railway on Katra-Reasi section of USBRL project, construction of 0.25 lac gallons capacity filtration Gallery at Chandanwari and Nunwan.

While reiterating the directions for ensuring minimum felling of trees and undertaking compensatory afforestation over alternate land in lieu of diversion of forest land, Chief Secretary called for strict supervision and monitoring of approved works in the forest areas. He said cutting of trees/saplings, which constitute a precious forest resource be avoided as far as possible and afforestation plans drawn up to fill up the gaps besides protection works be undertaken to prevent soil erosion.

Chief Secretary emphasized that during the conceptualization stage itself, the road alignments be worked out, ensuring minimum felling of trees.