HP Forest Minister under fire from BJP

Shimla, Feb 5 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh unit of the BJP today launched a scathing attack on Forest Minister Ram Lal Thakur for allegedly allowing a select people to run katha bhatties with boiler in violation of all norms.

The party sight a high-level inquiry into the issue since the forest department had not withdrawn permission even after the industries department raised objections over its nod to katha bhattis with boilers, since these were not registered with the department, he said at a press conference here.

Mr Sharma said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who had been declaring time and again that he was committed to give corruption free governance, should order a high-level inquiry into the issue to arrive at the truth.

''If he is serious in his commitment, then he should order a high-level probe into the forest department's functioning.'' He said the Chief Minister had himself inaugurated some of such bhattis, which are being run in complete violation of the norms.

The system adopted by the forest department under the leadership of minister has only encouraged illegal felling of Khair trees, he said, adding that it was also causing huge loss to the state exchequer with the bhattis in question not obtaining technical clearances.

UNI