Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam officials are pushing for a fourth contract extension for retired forest officer M.K. Yadava. The move comes as he faces intense scrutiny over forest law violations and ongoing court battles. His current term expires on November 11.
Government insiders suggest a six-month extension is in the works, though no official order exists. Yadava served as Special Chief Secretary for the forest department since his retirement in February 2024. Successive extensions have granted him broad administrative and financial authority.
The Union Environment Ministry previously slammed Yadava for approving police commando camps on protected land without federal consent. These sites include 28 hectares in Geleky and 11.5 hectares in the Damchera Innerline Reserved Forest. Ministry officials rejected his defense regarding security needs. In July 2025, they labeled the violations gross and ordered legal action. The Ministry stated, "its examination prima facie found non-forestry work had been allowed without Central approval."
Inspectors at Damchera discovered permanent garages, stores, and a hospital. Yadava originally claimed these were simple tents. While the state later paid penalties to regularize the land, the question of why building started before approval remains open. Yadava also faced fire for diverting forest land for a road at Barak Bhuban Wildlife Sanctuary and ordering forest battalions onto election duty. The National Green Tribunal blocked the road project in September 2024.
Two high-stakes legal challenges currently sit in the Gauhati High Court. In PIL/57/2026, Rohit Choudhury challenges the appointment based on a 2018 state memorandum that restricts post-retirement roles to exceptional cases. That matter returns to court on November 6. A second case, WP(C)/5452/2026, seeks a writ of quo warranto to remove him. A judge set that hearing for November 4.
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