4 forest officials suspended for dereliction of duty

Bellary, Feb 23 (UNI) Karnataka Forest Minister C Chennigappa today informed that four forest officers, attached to the Sandur sector, were suspended for dereliction of duty and alleged corrupt activities.

Talking to reporters at the Jindal guest house, he said forest range officer Mahesh Patil, officers Ramamurthy and Lakshmi Narayana and second division clerk Nagaraj were placed under suspension, pending departmental inquiry.

The Minister said he was also looking into complaints from public about illegal mining activities in the district, on a direction from Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Stating that of the 100 mining licence holders, about 90 of them were not following the rules, he said the government would be issuing notices to those flouting the rules. Intelligence Officers of the Forest Department would be filing a report on the activity, based on which action would be taken against the guilty, he added.

UNI XR RG HVB2115