The Hindu : Raja Bhaiyya's pond to remain bird sanctuary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 15, 2003

Other States

Other States - Uttar Pradesh

Raja Bhaiyya's pond to remain bird sanctuary

LUCKNOW SEPT. 14 While Independent MLA from Kunda, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya, may finally be absolved of the POTA charges, by the time he walks out as a free man, his much-treasured pond of Benti in Pratapgarh district will become the 14th sanctuary in the State.

Benti pond, from where the royal family of Kunda used to get fish worth over Rs 3 crores annually, has been turned into Baba Bhimrao Bird Sanctuary.

The previous Mayawati government had notified conversion of the 4227.07 hectares of area covering Benti, Punemau, Banemau and Shahpur ponds, along with the adjoining land, into the 14th sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

After the notification, the government has spent more than Rs 1.25 crores to enclose it with a 11-sq km boundary wall and watch towers.

Wildlife officials at Pratapgarh district say that while Mr Singh would be finally released, he would not be able to regain his possession on the now infamous pond.

``The pond which once was the prime asset of the Kunda royal family would now forever remain a government property,'' said an official. According to him, the power to return the area to `Raja Bhaiyya' or his family no more lies with the State Government.

``The only authority which could help him is the Forest National Board, headed by the Prime Minister -- its ex officio chairman...With several NGO representatives as it members, the board would not hand it back to him,'' he stressed.

Officials in the state bureaucracy here confirmed media reports which claimed that till April 2003, the `prince of Kunda' could have easily had the Benti pond back with the help of fellow legislators. Section 26 A (3) of the original act said that no alteration of the boundary of the sanctuary shall be made except on a resolution passed by the State legislature.

"With the majority Samajwadi Party favouring him, he could have regained control after pleading his case,'' said an official, adding that an amendment made in the act in 2002 makes the national forest board the sole authority to make such changes.

While the new amendment came into force in April 2003, the sanctuary was notified in July 2003.

A senior BSP leader and former minister said :``Though I am not authorised to speak to the media, I can proudly say that our leader Ms Mayawati had only gifted the State with a bird sanctuary in such a short period...It was a correct and lawfully justified decision to convert the area into a bird sanctuary ''.

With Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav making it clear that his government would not like continuation of POTA charges against the Indpendent MLA, labourers working at the sanctuary have reportedly started fleeing. District administration officials claim that the fear of a backlash is forcing many to move out of the area.

Mr Singh while lamenting the alleged excesses committed against his family by the previous government has maintained that he would not indulge in politics of vendetta.

Officials also confide that Raja Bhaiyya would not generate a controversy as of now as it could embarrass the Chief Minister who had laid down maintenance of law and order as his priority.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Raja Bhaiyya's pond to remain bird sanctuary