Group files complaint letter against Ravangla RO, another group defends officer

NAMCHI, 21 Dec: A section of the public of Ravangla, South Sikkim, has submitted an official complaint to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest [PCCF] against the Range Officer [RO], Territorial, Ravangla, Anup Jyoti Banya, accusing him of not working in favour of the people.

This group has demanded the immediate transfer of the RO, alleging that he was working only for his own interests. However, another section of the people there have now come together to defend the RO. Against around 100 signatures gathered by the complainants against the RO, the group comprising of people from Ralong-Borong have launched a signature campaign of their own in favour of the officer.
Some members of the group, namely KB Gurung, Kumar Gurung and Nir Kumar, while speaking to media-persons here today, said that the allegations levelled against the RO were “totally baseless and false”. They contended that amongst the group of complainants are timber merchants, and since the officer was actively preventing illegal timber trade, they were conspiring against him.
This, they said, will not only defame the pro-people officer but may result in great loss for the public of the area, especially the poor. They further vouched for Mr. Banya’s diligence towards his work and added that he never allowed illicit trafficking of timber in the area.
Asking the concerned department to take the opinion of the common people of the area before taking any action, the group further expressed that besides his official duties, Mr. Banya has always been active in the social arena. His role in making the Pang Lhabsol festival at Ravangla successful is one amongst them, they added.