Dehradun/Haridwar: Preparations for Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Khajan Das’ son’s wedding took place at the Sureshwari Devi Temple inside the core area of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR), allegedly without permission from the forest authorities, raising concerns over alleged violation of forest and wildlife norms.On Saturday, materials for the large facility – pandas, stages, coolers and generators – were brought into the reserve, an ecologically sensitive area that is home to elephants, tigers and leopards, among other animals and birds.The forest department filed a case against the temple committee under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.Ajay Lingwal, conservator of Haridwar forest zone under RTR, told TOI: “No permission has been granted for such activities. After receiving the news, the tents and other arrangements were dismantled on Sunday. “The wedding ceremony was allowed to take place inside the temple. Officials said the wedding was held “in a limited manner without any elaborate arrangements.”Responding to the allegations, Ashish Marwari, general secretary of the Devi Temple Committee in Masureshwari, said, “The wedding of Minister Karjan Das’ son was originally planned to be conducted in a simple manner. Considering the hot weather, we made tents and other arrangements. Forest department officials have also been informed about the matter.” Marwari added that they had done nothing wrong and they would respond to the case soon.Das, who is in charge of social welfare in the Dhami government, said he has been visiting the temple for several years and he also attributes his recovery from illness to God’s blessings, so he hopes his son’s wedding can be held there. He claimed he was not informed that formal permission was required.“We made a request to the temple committee and held discussions with forest officials and they agreed to the plan. We just want to conduct a simple ceremony and make the wedding official,” the minister said.Senior IFS officials in the department confirmed that no written permission was obtained for the event.
