Notice to forest dept in Risbud case

PUNE, Dec 30: The Kum Rajashree Parmar Memorial Foundation, an organisation devoted to the mission of road safety and awareness, has draw...

PUNE, Dec 30: The Kum Rajashree Parmar Memorial Foundation, an organisation devoted to the mission of road safety and awareness, has drawn the attention of the principal secretary of the Ministry of Forests, Maharashtra, towards the apathy of the conservation of forests department, Pune division, in initiating safety measures on the Sinhagad ghat road.

The foundation’s managing trustee Chandmal Parmar has said the negligence shown by the forest department in initiating adequate safety measures on the ghat road, which falls under its jurisdiction, claimed the lives of the Risbud couple and their son on December 15. The foundation, in a letter cum notice sent to the principal secretary of the ministry, Nagpur, has sought an explanation why legal action should not be initiated against his department, principal chief conservator of forests, chief conservator of forest, Nagpur, and conservator and deputy conservator of forest, Pune division, for its failure to undertake road safety measures which resulted in the mishap.

The foundation urged the department to to issue orders for improving quality of the road and to provide iron railings or stone walls on the sharp curves of the road. Parmar said any delay by the forest department to undertake the road safety measures will increase the liability and responsibility of the department.

The letter drew the attention of the principal secretary towards the foundation’s correspondence with the department in May 1997 in which the foundation requested the department to improve the condition of the road and undertake other safety measures. The chief conservator of forest, Nagpur had conveyed to the foundation in June 1997, that they had already take cognisance of the grievances and directed the conservator of forest, Pune circle, to take necessary action. The deputy conservator of forest, Pune had also stated that a report regarding road safety measures had been sent to the Conservator of Forest, Pune circle on July 5, 1997. Parmar said he had also discussed the matter personally with the deputy conservator of forest, Pune. The latter had assured to undertake road repair works and to provide railings on sharp curves.