SDM who cleared Auli encroachments transferred

A young woman SDM, who acted tough to get the skiing slopes of Auli cleared...

A young woman SDM, who acted tough to get the skiing slopes of Auli cleared of encroachments in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand two days ago, has been shifted on Tuesday.

As per a communication issued by the state Government on Tuesday, Nidhi Yadav, SDM, Joshimath has been transferred to Nainital, within two days of her daring act to get a large tract of land at the winter games resort of Auli cleared of encroachments. In fact, she not only got back the land belonging to tourism department from the alleged illegal occupation of a hotel but also succeeded in registering an FIR against six persons, including two former SDMs and a tehsildar who were allegedly involved in the transaction a few years ago.

“It is an administrative decision and I cannot comment on it,” Nidhi Yadav told The Indian Express over phone about her transfer.

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In fact, the SDM was just acting on the instructions of Chief Minister B C Khanduri who wanted to speed up the preparations for the proposed Winter SAF Games to be held at Auli in 2009.

The snow-bound slopes of Auli in Chamoli district are known for skiing and other winter sports. After the formation of Uttarakhand, a lot of construction activity took place in the area with increasing influx of tourists.

“The 13 nalis land of tourism department under Khasra number 12,13 and 22 were being encroached upon fraudulently since the land in the tribal areas cannot be sold,” explained Nidhi Yadav.

Tourism department had given a notice for vacating the land and sought help from the SDM who acted tough. A case was registered under Sections 166, 167, 218 and 420 of the IPC against Ram Agya Mishra and Dalip Chaudhary, two former SDMs of Joshimath, Mahipal Singh, a former tehsildar, Vijay Pal, a medical officer who was allotted the land on lease, Atul Sharma and Deepak Sharma, both of a private hotel and unnamed officers of tourism department for conniving in the alleged fraud and encroachment.

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Earlier, an inquiry has found that the land was being illegally encroached upon. The action by Nidhi Yadav had created a flutter in the administrative circles. A press release issued by Chander Shekhar Bhatt, Joint Secretary (Personnel) read that Nidhi Yadav, along with two other SDMs, has been transferred in “public interest.”