UP suspends Durga

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Millions of people worship Godessess Durga. Such is the impression of Durga in our psyche that our former Prime Minister Shri Vajpayee was supposed to have compared Smt. Indira Gandhi as Maa Durga for her role in liberating Bangladesh in the 1971 war with Pakistan. However, Durga Shakti Nagpal, a 28 year old 2009 batch IAS officer posted as Sub Divisional Magistrate in Gautam Budh Nagar has been suspended for her Durga-like strong willed action against the mining mafia.

Though it was her first posting, she had formed a number of flying squads to conduct raids on daily basis to put an end to the illegal mining in the Yamuna and Hindon rivers in western UP.

It should be noted that illegal sand mining is destroying the river beds, stops the ability for water to percolate and kills the river. World Bank has said that the biggest threat to the growth of India's economy is the availability of water. Rampant sand mining in the river beds in various parts of the country is resulting in many rivers becoming sick and dying and will ensure that our population face enormous hardships due to water. Water wars can't be far behind.

If committed officers like Durga Shakti Nagpal are penalised by the Government, then there won't be many officers who will apply the rule of law. As concerned citizens it would be appropriate to raise your voice and write to:
Shri Akhilesh Yadav
Hon'ble Chief Minister of UP
Lal Bahadur Shastri Bhawan,
Lucknow,226001
Email :
Office Phone : +91 522 2239296
+91 522 2236181
Office Fax : +91 522 2239234

Chief Secretary of UP
Shri Jawed Usmani
Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh
Cadre : UP/ IAS:1978
State / UT : : Uttar Pradesh
Email : cs-uttarpradesh@nic.in
Office Phone : +91 522 2221599
+91 522 2238212
Office Fax : +91 522 2239283

[Debasis Bose]

Dear Sabyasachi,
I really admire and appreciate your noble approach and positive attitude by exploring each and every avenues towards protecting nature and wildlife.
But a question arises does our politicians class even care for the country and its people other than their selfish sort term gains, leave aside saving nature and wildlife. Such agenda cannot come in the wildest dreams of our politician who are busy playing divisive politics of caste, religion and state bifurcation. I am truly depressed and sad to observe the decline of such wonderful country in hands of handful hypocrite politicians and chalta hai attitude of the majority Indian. Debasis

[Chitrita Chatterjee]

I agree, Sabyasachi. There are too few of these left in this country. Normally with a comp science degree at age 26, most youngsters would head westwards for a better life... :)

Read somewhere today---'Brain Drain is better than Brain in Drain'.

Durga Shakti Nagpal [her parents named her well] does have the nations support. Now all that remains to be seen is if the support is strong enough to make a difference.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

The reason for reporting about this incident is because we can't be myopic and only think of saving our charismatic wildlife and neglect other aspects which harm the ecosystem. There is a complex chain or interlinkages between various species and habitat. When we remove one species or modify the habitat, it results in a cascading effect that hurts everyone.

Sandmining is killing our rivers, animals, birds and organisms that depend on the riverine ecosystem and also it is killing us. The politicians, most of those atleast, are unscrupulous and want to make their money in any manner. So they don't care about sandmining. We don't know whether our voice will be heard. Atleast, the Chief Minister of UP will hopefully realise that he has lost the trust of many honest citizens due to this arbitrary suspension of an honest and upright officer.