A senior forest officer at the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur has alleged that the reserve staff is facing political pressure, threats, and abuse in handling of the management quota safari system. In a written complaint to senior authorities, Divisional Forest Officer Sachin Shinde accused Mahesh Premalwar, personal assistant to Chimur MLA Bunty alias Kirtikumar Bhangdiya, of verbally abusing and threatening him during a phone call made to a female employee at the Tadoba Tourism Information Centre on May 7. Shinde stated that the incident has not only undermined his morale but also highlighted the growing risks faced by officials and staff managing safari bookings under the management quota.
Complaint Details and Response
CCF and field director Prabhu Nath Shukla acknowledged receipt of the complaint, stating the matter is being looked into earnestly. As per Shinde's complaint, submitted along with an audio recording of the phone call, employees are routinely subjected to intimidation, harassment, and false allegations by politically-connected individuals, particularly personal assistants of many MLAs seeking large-scale or preferential safari bookings. Shinde warned that such unlawful demands compromise the integrity of wildlife tourism management.
Demand for Legal Action and Reforms
Shinde urged the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve administration to initiate legal action against Premalwar and formally notify MLA Bhangdiya regarding the alleged misconduct. He also requested the field director to relieve him from management quota safari responsibilities in light of the incident. The officer further called for urgent reforms to the management quota framework, recommending that safari booking access be limited strictly to legitimate tourists.
Counter Allegations
Countering the allegations, Premalwar claimed that as per the MLA's instructions, a recommendation letter was sent to Shinde for safari bookings under the management quota. Shinde did not respond, and instead, a woman employee called him for a meeting. Premalwar expressed confusion over the purpose of such a meeting, stating it is his duty to follow the MLA's instructions, while it is the responsibility of officials to respond to public representatives. He dismissed the allegations as completely false.
