The Uttarakhand Forest Department canceled arrangements for the wedding of Cabinet Minister Khajan Dass’s son at a temple complex within the core area of Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) on Sunday and registered a case following protests.
The preparations included tents, tables, chairs, coolers and water tanks at the Sureshwari Devi temple complex in the Haridwar range of the reserve.
The forest department swung into action after pictures and videos of the arrangements appeared on social media. The park administration has filed a case against the temple committee officials under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Das dismissed the cry as a political conspiracy to malign him. He claimed that he informed a senior forest official about the event and that the arrangements were made with the approval of the temple committee.
Forest officials confirmed that no permission had been obtained for the event. Rajeev Dhiman, acting director of RTR, said they launched an investigation and acted as soon as the matter came to light.
“A case has been registered against the temple committee officials over how arrangements were made there and the materials have been completely removed from the area,” he said. “We have issued a showcause notice to the forest officers to explain how the material entered the core area and whether there was any negligence at their level.” Dehiman said that action will be taken against others found involved after the investigation.
A forest official said that visits to the temple are regulated and movement is allowed only with restrictions as directed by the Supreme Court. “People visit the temple according to their faith. Our staff was aware that some events were being held there, but they did not know who the event was. There was no indication that preparations were being made on such a large scale,” the official said.
The official added that the temple is subject to strict conditions. He added that there are specific hours for worship, restrictions on movement outside those times, limited night stays for priests and companions, and a ban on activities that hinder wildlife or impede their movement. The use of loudspeakers is prohibited, and the temple administration is responsible for preventing littering and ensuring compliance with conditions, officials said. Violations of these terms are subject to action under the Wildlife Protection Act.
