GUWAHATI: Mahendra Kumar Yadava, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and Head of the Forest Force in Assam has been removed from his position as Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW).
Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Society's PCCF (Wildlife and Biodiversity) cum Project Director, Sandeep Kumar, has been appointed Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW).
"In the interest of public service, Sandeep Kumar, IFS (RR: 1989), Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife and Bio-diversity) cum Project Director, Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Society, shall henceforth hold the charge of Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) with immediate effect, until further orders," read an order issued by the Secretary of Environment and Forest Department, Assam.
"Mahendra Kumar Yadava, IFS (RR:1989), Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & Head of Forest Force, Assam, holding the additional charge of Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW), shall immediately transfer the charge to Sandeep Kumar," the order further added.
Mahendra Kumar Yadava, a 1989-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, took over as PCCF and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) of the state last year, succeeding Amit Sahai, who will retire on May 31, 2022.
Yadava was embroiled in controversy after a report surfaced that the Tiger Conservation Fund (TCF) was misused in Kaziranga National Park for non-permitted projects. (KNP).
According to sources, former President Ram Nath Kovind's two-day visit to the national park in February last year cost the park authorities a staggering Rs 1,64 crores. The sum was deducted from the fund earmarked for the conservation of tigers.
Controversy has been sparked by the shocking details of the former president's visit to a national park and the subsequent cost covered by government funds. According to a response to an RTI application filed by wildlife activist Rohit Choudhury, approximately Rs 1.1 crore was spent on the February 2018 visit of former President Ram Nath Kovind.