Allegations raised against head of panel probing Thanneerkomban’s death (India)
Allegations raised against head of panel probing Thanneerkomban’s death
(India)
The New Indian Express
February 4, 2024
See link
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Feb/05/allegations-raised-against-head-of-panel-probing-thanneerkombans-death
for photo.
The expert committee appointed by the state government to probe the death
of wild jumbo Thanneerkomban has come under a cloud.
The Kerala Independent Farmers Association (KIFA) has sought a probe into
the alleged nexus between Chief Conservator of Forest (Palakkad) K
Vijayanand, who leads the probe panel, and Sangita Iyer, a Canadian-based
documentary filmmaker, over a land deal to set up an elephant corridor.
KIFA has accused Vijayanand of receiving documents from Sangita on June 14,
2023 at the Ernakulam Press Club related to a land deal to set up an
elephant corridor in Nilambur. KIFA chairman Alex Ozhukayil told TNIE that
the forest department, replying to the association’s RTI query, had,
however, said the Sangita’s NGO had not given a title deed, and that it was
just a proposal.
“The Canada-registered NGO raised more than Rs 2.50 crore through
crowdfunding for the land to develop the elephant corridor. The RTI reply
revealed Sangita did not give any land to the forest department. We had
raised the issue in the assembly through Nilambur MLA P V Anvar. On January
31, the assembly said neither Sangita nor her NGO had transferred any land
to the government,” Alex said.
Alex said when KIFA contacted her, Sangita told them that since she is a
Canadian citizen she does not have to convince them about her work on the
elephant corridor. Sangita is yet to respond to TNIE’s messages for
comments.
Meanwhile, Vijayanand told TNIE that the allegations were baseless. He said
Sangita bought four acres of land for more than Rs 40 lakh in Nilambur for
the elephant corridor.
“It’s a project under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative. Sangita initially
purchased land under Nature Mates-Nature Club, a Kolkata-based NGO working
towards wildlife conservation and awareness generation, as she is a
Canadian citizen. In a letter printed on her letterhead, she had recently
informed the state government that she purchased the land in her name,”
said the forest officer who hails from Tamil Nadu.
Vijayanand said the state government has to take a call now. “I can vouch
for the transparency of the deal,” he said.