Chambal: Instead of focusing on protecting aquatic life and stopping illegal sand mining from the Chambal River, Yogendra Parde, the superintendent of the National Chambal Sanctuary, is instructing his staff to extract sand from the riverbanks, which is reportedly bringing in millions of rupees each month. Recently, two videos and an audio clip related to allegations of bribery involving Superintendent Parde have surfaced on social media. While it’s unclear when these videos were recorded, they clearly show Parde and his subordinate forest workers. In one of the videos, Parde can be heard saying, “Bring in **₹7 lakh** from the ghat; after giving some to the DFO and CCF, I’ll be left with ₹1.5 lakh.” This video has gone viral.
In another audio clip that has also gained traction online, a local resident is informing Parde about crocodiles entering Dalara village. Instead of addressing the issue, Parde responds with insults, saying, “If you’re mining sand, where will the crocodiles go? I’ll make sure you get bitten by a crocodile; I’ll release four more just for you.” The villager then hangs up, saying, “Bauji, we’ll handle it ourselves.”
