The deputy commissioner (DC) of Morigaon district in Assam was on Wednesday directed to file a report in connection with the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary case where government officials created a ruckus and misbehaved with people there.
The DC of Morigaon, Devashish Sharma has been entrusted with the duty of filing a report in the matter. The chief secretary to the government of Assam, Paban Kumar Borthakur gave the directions to the Morigaon DC.
Meanwhile, it has come to the fore that the DC has already recorded the statements of the people who were named in the Pobitora incident. According to reports, he will file the report within today.
It may be noted that the Morigaon district administration had ordered an enquiry into the alleged flouting of rules inside Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary by senior Assam officers, said an official yesterday.
The official told that Assam Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary was likely to visit the sanctuary to look into the matter.
Two IAS officers and an IPS officer, along with their families, had visited the sanctuary on Sunday. One of the officers allegedly sat on the bonnet of a safari jeep and smoked cigarettes, while others alighted from the vehicles, both actions prohibited inside the protected forest.
Earlier on January 15, the Drivers Association of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary had written to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma complaining about misbehavior on the part of government officials.
This came after the Assam CM had repeatedly called on officials serving the government to maintain and display good values. The said incident included bureaucrats quarreling and abusing jeep drivers during a jeep safari at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on Sunday.
The group of government officials that had visited the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary included IAS and IPS level officials along with an election commission official, several reports mentioned.
In connection with the matter, the Drivers Association approached the Assam CM to complain about the unruly behavior of the government officials. The complaint mentioned that the officials threatened the jeep drivers and ordered them to stop the vehicles in the midst of the safari so that they could dance.
Meanwhile, the drivers claimed that the officials involved in the incident were under the influence of alcohol at the time and were also smoking inside the Sanctuary campus. They also reportedly threatened the forest officials when they came forward to object their behavior.
