Row over construction of forest office in Palakkad

Kochi: A controversy has erupted over the construction of Eastern Circle office building in Palakkad and the decision to demolish record rooms keeping documents.NGO ANEC Trust has filed an urgent petition seeking an independent inquiry into alleged procedural, financial and administrative irregularities in the construction of the Eastern Circle office building at Aranyabhavan in Olavakkode, Palakkad, funded by NABARD.The petition, submitted to L Chandrasekhar, additional principal chief conservator of forests (forest management, finance, budget and allotment) at the forest headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, raises concerns over a proposal to accommodate the wildlife circle office in a building sanctioned for the Eastern Circle 0ffice and the custodian of vested forests.According to ANEC Trust, the approved plan includes dedicated record rooms, a conference hall and other essential facilities. It has sought clarification on whether the proposed change in the Eastern Circle office building’s intended use has received prior written approval from the govt and NABARD.The petition also alleges that the contractor was verbally instructed to demolish or modify completed record rooms to facilitate the proposed changes. ANEC Trust has urged the authorities to suspend any such work until the original project sanction, approved plans, estimates and relevant permissions are verified.The record rooms are intended to house more than 3,000 old and ongoing case files and vested forest records, including documents relating to litigation dating back to 1974 before forest tribunals and Kerala High Court and Supreme Court. The trust warned that inadequate storage could jeopardise document security and affect ongoing legal proceedings.The petition further calls for scrutiny of a potential conflict of interest, citing reports that the heads of Eastern Circle and Wildlife Circle are spouses. It has sought verification of compliance with applicable service rules and administrative procedures, without prejudging the officials’ responsibility.The trust has also urged an objective assessment of office-space requirements and available alternatives, including space that may become available following the relocation of the Working Plan Division.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in KochiStay updated with the latest Kochi news. Download the TOI App.