BHUBANESWAR: The state government has reinstated two range officers suspended for breach of SOP and suppression of information regarding elephant deaths even when the Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed to probe into recovery of elephant carcasses in Athagarh division six months back, continues to seek more time to submit its report.
A notification of the Forest department said Athagarh ranger Aisha Akhtari Nisha for more than a year, has been reinstated. She has been posted as the ranger of Nilagiri range in Balasore wildlife division. She was suspended for allegedly not informing the department about the death of an elephant that occurred in Subasi reserve forest in August 2020. Similarly, range officer Ashok Behera who was placed under suspension following recovery of a jumbo carcass in Narasinghpur range has also been reinstated and posted in Rayagada divsion.
Subsequently four more jumbo carcasses were exhumed from the division in June forcing the state government to form a three-member SIT headed by the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (Angul circle). However, the SIT is yet to submit its report though its initial deadline for the same was a month.
SIT head and Angul RCCF M Yogajayanand said efforts are on to submit the investigation report to the government by the end of this month. However, the investigation against the two rangers reinstated will continue.Meanwhile, the department has recommended compulsory retirement against a range officer and forester in connection with the recovery of multiple elephant carcasses in Athagarh division.