Latest news with #ACF
Mint
10 hours ago
- Mint
Odisha DFO in vigilance dragnet: 115 land parcels, assets worth crores, mini armoury unearthed during raid
Odisha's vigilance department uncovered 115 land parcels, a small armoury comprising traditional hunting weapons and a rifle, a collection of teak artefacts, properties valued at over ₹ 10 crore, ₹ 1.55 lakh in cash, 200 gram gold and two four-wheelers during a raid on the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Keonjhar Kendu Leaf division, Nityananda Nayak, on Sunday. The anti-corruption wing, acting on allegations of amassing property and assets disproportionate to his income, conducted searches at seven different locations linked to Nayak. The 115 valuable plots unearthed by anti-graft sleuths are the highest number of land holdings detected by the agency in the name of any government officer and their family till now. Out of the total 115 land plots, 53 were found registered under the DFO's name, while another 42 were listed under his wife's ownership. The remaining plots were held in the names of his two sons and his only daughter. The searches, carried out by a team consisting of three Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), 10 inspectors, and other personnel, spanned multiple locations across the districts of Keonjhar, Angul, and Nayagarh. The locations raided included a four-storey residence covering 9,000 sq ft belonging to Nayak in Angul, his ancestral home located in Madanmohan Patna, his in-laws' residence in Jagannathpur, the DFO's official quarters and office in Keonjhar, as well as his son's house and workplace in Komanda, Nayagarh. The Special Vigilance Court in Keonjhar had approved the search operations. According to the anti-corruption wing officials, 64 plots were acquired during his stint as the forest ranger in Khariar division between 2007 and 2015, while another 39 plots were purchased when he was the assistant conservator of forests (ACF) in Khariar and Rayagada divisions between 2015 and 2022. 'All plots were found to have been purchased in Chhendipada area of Angul between 1992 and 2024. The registered sale deed value of these plots is approximately ₹ 2.5 crore. However, the actual value of these land holdings is likely to be higher than ₹ 10 crore. A thorough probe has been launched, suspecting undervaluation of these plots during registration,' the New Indian Express quoted a senior official as saying. Additional assets are possible to surface as the forest officer's bank accounts, insurance policies, postal savings, and other financial holdings are currently under scrutiny, an official noted. The case marks the largest number of land plots discovered in a raid in recent memory. The previous highest was 105 plots linked to Pravas Kumar Pradhan, Chief Construction Engineer of the Anandpur Barrage Project in Keonjhar, uncovered during a disproportionate assets (DA) investigation in August last year. Nayak began his government career as a forest ranger in 1992 and has since held various roles, including Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO). Prior to his current posting, he served as a DCF at the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) headquarters in Bhubaneswar starting in September 2022. He was promoted and appointed as the DFO of the Keonjhar KL Division in 2024.
ABC News
14 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Queensland Land Court begins hearing conservation group challenge against proposed $1 billion coal mine
A legal challenge by conservation groups to stop one of Australia's largest proposed greenfield coal projects in Queensland's Bowen Basin has begun in the state's land court. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and Mackay Conservation Group (MCG) have lodged an application in the Land Court of Queensland, objecting to Whitehaven Coal's Winchester South open-cut coal mine. The $1 billion project is expected to produce up to 17 million tonnes of coal a year over its 28-year life span. The open-cut mine — set to be located 30 kilometres south-east of Moranbah — would extract mostly metallurgical coal, used to make steel, and thermal coal. It would involve the construction of a coal processing plant and a rail loop to connect with the existing Bowen Basin coal rail network. The two environmental groups are expected to argue the court should recommend against the project being granted a mining lease and environmental authority due to its significant environmental and human rights impacts. ACF climate and energy project manager, Gavan McFadzean, said the project would generate at least 583 million tonnes of climate pollution. "It's a coal project that will emit more emissions than Australia does in an entire year," he said outside court in Brisbane before the hearing. "New coal projects simply cannot be approved, if we're to stay within a 1.5 degree [Celsius] pathway." MCG climate campaigner Imogen Lindenberg said local communities needed to be protected from the impacts of climate change. "We are already living in a time of climate catastrophes, we can't afford to keep making the same mistakes again and again," she said. "We can't afford to keep opening brand new coal mines if we're to protect our land, water, climate and our communities. Whitehaven Coal says the Winchester South project would support 500 jobs during construction and operation. Whitehaven Coal's barrister Saul Holt KC told the court in his opening remarks, he would outline over the course of the hearing why this was the "right project, in the right place, by the right miner, at the right time." He said the project was supported by the area's traditional owners — the Barada Barna people — and had "widespread community support". Mr Holt said there was a "strong demand" from customers for metallurgical and thermal coal over the project's life, in addition to support from the landholder and the neighbouring Eagle Down coal mine which it would have a "significant and ongoing relationship with". "It promises considerable economic benefit to the local community and the people of Queensland," he said. He said 60 per cent of the coal mined at Whitehaven would be metallurgical and 40 per cent would be thermal, to be used in electricity production. In 2022, the Queensland Land Court ruled human rights would be unjustifiably limited by mining company Waratah Coal's proposal to build Australia's largest thermal coal mine in Central Queensland. Mr Holt said Whitehaven Coal's mine was a majority metallurgical project, which was one of its "many points of distinction" with the Waratah Coal case. ACF and MCG's barrister Emrys Nekvapil SC said while the applicant would argue the strong economical benefits of metallurgical, its extraction would still have an environmental impact. "For the present point, metallurgical and thermal coal is all coal," he said in his opening remarks. "Regardless of the label, its extraction will increase the atmospheric concentration causing environmental harm." Mr Nekvapil said Whitehaven Coal needed to establish the project would improve the total quality of life for current and future generations. "This coal mine is proposed to operate for one further generation, the applicant proposes immediate financial and employment benefits for some in the present generation and royalties for the Crown," he said. "But the generations to follow will suffer the degradation of their ecosystem caused by the cumulative effect of the greenhouse gas emission unlocked by this mine." The matter is expected to run for at least seven weeks in the Land Court of Queensland, with Judge Nicholas Loos to visit the mine's proposed site over the next three days. At the end of the hearing the Land Court will recommend whether the mine be refused or approved, then it will be up to the Queensland government to make a decision about whether the project proceeds. The coal mine project is currently subject to a lengthy approval process. The state's coordinator general recommended the project proceed in 2023, subject to conditions and recommendations, following an assessment of its Environment Impact Statement. In 2024, the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation approved the mine's Environmental Authority (EA) application. Whitehaven would still need to be issued with an EA and mining lease from the state government. The federal government makes the final decision and approvals about whether the project gets the green light.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
DFO detained after vigilance searches unearth 115 homestead plots
Bhubaneswar/Keonjhar: Vigilance sleuths on Sunday discovered that a divisional forest officer (DFO) possessed 115 homestead plots, beating the earlier record of 105 plots owned by another corrupt public servant. The anti-corruption wing are currently evaluating the total area and worth of the plots, owned by Nityananda Nayak, who serves as DFO (kendu leaf division) in Keonjhar district. Investigation revealed that Nayak, who has been detained for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets (DA), had registered 53 plots in his name, 42 under his wife's name, 16 under his two sons' names, and 4 under his daughter's name. Vigilance sources said the previous record was held by Pravas Kumar Pradhan, former chief construction engineer of Anandpur barrage project in Keonjhar. He was arrested in Aug 2024 for owning 105 plots (85 in Odisha, 20 in West Bengal), spanning around 15 acres. "All these plots, located in Chhendipada area of Angul district, were acquired between 1992 and 2024 during his various roles as forest range officer, assistant conservator of forests, deputy conservator of forests and divisional forest officer," a vigilance officer said. The majority of the land deals occurred during 2007 to 2022. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo He owned two plots during 1992 to 2006, acquired 64 plots between 2007 and 2015 while serving as forest range officer in Nuapada district. As tje ACF at Khariar and Rayagada between 2015 and 2022, he purchased 39 plots. He bought 8 plots during 2022 to 2024 and 2 plots in 2024. Vigilance officers conducting simultaneous searches across Keonjhar, Angul and Nayagarh districts discovered substantial quantities of teak wood furniture, home interiors and decorations belonging to Nayak. They also found several sharp weapons and a firearm at his multi-storey residence in Angul, along with Rs 1.19 lakh in cash and gold jewellery. "We are evaluating his bank deposits and investments," the vigilance officer said. Nayak began govt service as a forest ranger in Sundargarh district on April 6, 1992. He received promotion to Odisha Forest Service (OFS) as ACF on May 27, 2015. On Jan 24, 2024, he was promoted to DFO.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Forest officials seize timber and mobile sawmill in Ganjam
Berhampur: Forest officials seized a large quantity of timber, a mobile sawmill attached to a tractor and a timber-laden mini-truck from Palasapalli village in Ganjam district on Thursday night. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The value of the seized items, including around 70 cubic feet of timber, two vehicles and the sawmill, was estimated at over Rs 8 lakh," said divisional forest officer (DFO) of Ghumusar North, Himansu Sekhar Mohanty, on Friday. Acting on a tip-off, a forest team led by assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Bibek Das raided the village. Sensing the arrival of the team, the accused fled, abandoning the vehicles, saw machines and timber. No arrests have been made yet. "We have also written to the regional transport officer (RTO) to ascertain the ownership of the seized vehicles. The case will be registered against the vehicle owners for engaging in illegal felling," said the DFO. He said that for the first time, they seized a mobile sawmill. The accused adopted a unique practice of sawing logs by fitting cutting machines on the tractor and then moving to other places, he added. He said they instructed the field staff to conduct patrolling in the vulnerable areas to crack down on the illegal trade and cutting of timber. "A squad led by the ACF has now been formed to intensify the drive," added the DFO.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Forest dept cracks down on illegal trade at Ropeway stn
Jaipur: The forest administration swung into action Thursday after TOI highlighted that fish spa and body massage shops were among several commercial operations being run illegally at the ropeway station connecting Annapurna Temple to Vaishno Devi Temple (Khole ke Hanuman Ji) in Jaipur — a site located on diverted forest land. Following a field inspection that revealed multiple violations of environmental and forest laws, the department removed all illegal activities mentioned in the report. A senior forest official said, "All the activities that were found to be illegal and operational were shut down by the team. A report was prepared and submitted to higher authorities." A source said, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) also took cognisance of the issue and directed the forest department to take appropriate action. The ropeway operator was granted permission to use 0.8735 hectare of forest land under strict conditions laid down by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. However, it was found that the operator was using more land than sanctioned, and several activities far beyond the approved scope were underway. In a detailed report dated July 7, the assistant conservator of forests (ACF) flagged at least fifteen major irregularities, terming them "a serious violation" of multiple laws — including the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; the Rajasthan Forest Act, 1953; the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; the Environment Protection Act, 1986; and the Rajasthan Ropeway Act, 1996. The ACF recommended legal action against the company and immediate enforcement of compliance with all applicable regulations to safeguard forest land, wildlife, and the surrounding environment. The inspection also found that high-risk adventure activities, such as a 360° zipline cycle ride, were being conducted for an additional fee without any legal clearance. Additionally, the use of plastic cups, plates, and packaging within forest premises was noted — a clear violation of environmental norms. Rajendra Tiwari, who runs an NGO working to protect the Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary, said, "As per the rules, the department should impose environmental compensation on private players for any construction carried out on forest land. If they fail to act, we will approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT)."
