Jammu, Apr 24: A revenue official and a forest guard have been suspended in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba and Doda districts respectively for alleged dereliction of duty, officials said.
In Samba district, Deputy Commissioner Ayushi Soodan ordered the suspension of a ‘girdawar’ Pankaj Singh Jamwal for failure to complete the digitisation of revenue records within the stipulated timeframe despite repeated directions, an official order said.
The tehsildar, Bari Brahmana had reported that no ‘jamabandis’ (official record of righs for land) were digitised in Patwar Halqua Smailpur between April 8 and April 15.
“The conduct of the official reflects gross negligence and dereliction of duty in the discharge of his responsibilities,” the order said.
Pending inquiry, the official has been placed under suspension with immediate effect and attached to the office of tehsildar Samba. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Vijaypur has been appointed as the inquiry officer and has been asked to submit a report within 15 days, it added.
In Doda district, a forest department beat guard, Mushtaq Ahmed has also been placed under suspension after a vehicle carrying illegal deodar timber was seized in the Bhadarwah area, the officials said.
Officials said a joint team of Forest Protection Force and territorial staff of Neru range intercepted a vehicle loaded with 20 deodar green scants (unseasoned timber planks) during the intervening night of April 21 and 22 at village Jalga.
During the operation, the in-charge beat guard was found moving on the same route in his personal vehicle, and a mechanical cutter packed in a bag was recovered, they said.
The suspended guard has been attached to the Divisional Forest Office, Bhadarwah, pending enquiry.
Officials said a detailed probe has been ordered to identify the source of the timber, fix responsibility and initiate further legal action, with directions to submit a report within a week. ( PTI )
