GUWAHATI, July 9 - RTI-cum-environment activist Rohit Choudhury has alleged that the State�s Forest Department has denied him information on the funds of the Kaziranga Tiger Conservation Foundation (KTCF) even after two and half months of his filing the RTI application for the purpose. Choudhury also filed first appeal in this connection, but to no avail, he said.
In this connection, Choudhury referred to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of the country on Performance Audit of Kaziranga National Park: Issues and challenges {Page No.16 (8.7.2)}, which states, �Scrutiny of the bank passbook of the KTCF maintained in the office of the Director, KNP, revealed that in addition to the revenues generated during 2009-10, which was not readily available, an amount of Rs 7.61 crore being the revenues pertaining to the period 2010-11 to 2013-14 were remitted into the fund. However, though the notification of the State Government provides for maintenance of monthly accounts and annual returns, which are to be audited by a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) as well as by Director of Audit and Local Fund and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the authorities are yet to finalise the accounts. Thus, transactions to KTCF have remained unaudited till date.�
On Page 17 (8.7.3) the CAG report said, �The Department stated that the accounts had since been finalised and certified by the CA. However, the accounts are yet to be submitted for audit by the CAG.�
Moreover, Choudhury said the State government, its Environment and Forest Department and the Director of the Kaziranga National Park are yet to answer to his queries on the power fencing on the animal corridors. The State government has also not provided him with the factual status sought by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the reminder issued by the NTCA on the same issue to the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State on June 25, 2015, Choudhury said.
