Supreme Court Questions Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami’s Appointment of Rahul as Rajaji Tiger Reserve Director
The Supreme Court of India has raised concerns over Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami’s decision to appoint Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Rahul as the Director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Rahul was previously removed from Corbett Tiger Reserve due to allegations of illegal tree cutting.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra, and KV Viswanathan emphasized the importance of the public trust doctrine. They stated, “There is something like public trust doctrine in this country, the heads of the public offices cannot do whatever they want when the endorsements are there that he (officer) should not be posted there, despite that, just because he is a Chief Minister, he can do anything?”
Senior advocate ANS Nadkarni, representing the Uttarakhand government, argued that the Chief Minister had the discretion to make such appointments and promised to provide a detailed explanation in the next hearing.
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), formed by the Supreme Court to oversee forest-related matters, submitted a report stating that the appointment of Rahul did not instill confidence among wildlife conservation stakeholders. The report also mentioned that disciplinary proceedings against Rahul are still pending.
Uttarakhand Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal stated that the decision to appoint Rahul was made unanimously by him and the Chief Minister. He refuted claims that the Chief Minister bypassed other officials in making the appointment.
In January 2022, the Uttarakhand High Court directed the State government to take action against officials responsible for illegal activities in Corbett Tiger Reserve. In April 2022, the state government suspended two forest officers and removed Rahul from his post as Corbett’s director.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and justice in the country.
Uttarakhand -: Uttarakhand is a state in northern India. It is known for its beautiful mountains and forests.
Chief Minister -: The Chief Minister is the head of the government in a state in India. They make important decisions for the state.
Pushkar Dhami -: Pushkar Dhami is the current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He is responsible for making decisions for the state.
IFS officer -: IFS stands for Indian Forest Service. These officers take care of forests and wildlife in India.
Rajaji Tiger Reserve -: Rajaji Tiger Reserve is a protected area in Uttarakhand where tigers and other wildlife live. It is important for conservation.
Corbett Tiger Reserve -: Corbett Tiger Reserve is another protected area in Uttarakhand. It is famous for its tigers and is named after Jim Corbett, a hunter-turned-conservationist.
Illegal tree cutting -: Illegal tree cutting means cutting down trees without permission. It is harmful to the environment and against the law.
Public trust -: Public trust means that people believe and have confidence in their leaders and institutions. It is important for good governance.
Central Empowered Committee -: The Central Empowered Committee is a group that advises the Supreme Court on environmental issues. They help make sure that nature is protected.
Wildlife conservation stakeholders -: Wildlife conservation stakeholders are people and groups who care about protecting animals and nature. They work to keep wildlife safe.
Disciplinary proceedings -: Disciplinary proceedings are actions taken to investigate and possibly punish someone for doing something wrong. It is like a formal way to check if someone broke the rules.