Assam govt to 'examine' diversion of funds during ex-President Kovind's visit to Kaziranga National Park

Around Rs 1.1 crore was spent on former President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to Kaziranga National Park in February last year.

By India Today News Desk: The Assam government has directed officials to look into allegations pertaining to the RTI response, indicating a diversion of funds for tiger conservation and other projects to the visit of former President Ram Nath Kovind and his family to Kaziranga National Park. The controversy made headlines after an RTI response showed that Rs 1.1 crore was spent during Kovind's trip to the national park in February 2022.

As per allegations, the corpus was meant to be used for the conservation of tigers.

Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told PTI that the additional chief secretary of the forest and environment department, Ravi Shankar Prasad, has been directed to look after the allegations following a reply to a social activist under the Right to Information Act.

"We have asked Prasad to examine the entire issue. He is currently examining if funds allocated to tiger projects and other conservation efforts were diverted and misused during the visit of the former President to Kaziranga National Park," he said.

Meanwhile, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) M K Yadava, who is also the Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Assam, was relieved from his additional charge of Chief Wildlife Warden with immediate effect.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

According to an RTI's response to animal rights activist Rohit Choudhury in November 2022, the Field Director of Kaziranga National Park had informed that a total of Rs 1,64,16,000 from the funds meant to protect wildlife in the park were spent during two nights of the stay of the then President and his entourage.

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