Minister: Staff with 5 years of service to be regularised

UNA: Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri has said that the contractual staff working in various projects being implemented by the state Forest Department will be absorbed in different departments on a contract basis and later regularised after the completion of five-year contract period.

Our Correspondent

Una, April 10

Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri has said that the contractual staff working in various projects being implemented by the state Forest Department will be absorbed in different departments on a contract basis and later regularised after the completion of five-year contract period.

While addressing a public gathering at Jwar village of the Amb sub-division after laying the foundation stone of a forest rest house recently, the minister said contractual staff had been deployed at various levels in the Swan River Integrated Watershed Management Project and the Mid-Himalayan Watershed project for the last many years and the government had decided to continue with their services after completion of the projects.

The duration of the Swan river watershed project, being implemented in Una district had completed on March 31 this year and the services of the contractual staff have now been extended for three months in the wake of the minister’s announcement, who said the matter had been discussed with the Chief Minister and the latter had assured that the staff would be given continuity in employment by the government.

The minister said in view of the increasing monkey menace in cities, natural habitats for the species were being developed in forest areas. The minister, who is also in charge of the Fisheries Department, said dried up traditional water bodies, particularly in Una district, were being rejuvenated and extended to add to the natural beauty besides income generation activities for the local panchayats through fishery.

Bharmouri said about two dozen such water bodies were being rejuvenated while about 60 more had been created under the Kandi and Swan River Watershed Projects in Una district giving a fillip to fish rearing, irrigation and ground water recharge. He assured that the traditional pond in Jwar village would also be rejuvenated.

Chintpurni MLA and chairman of the state finance commission Kuldip Kumar also spoke on the occasion. Chief project director of the Swan River Watershed Project Dr Duresh Kumar and Divisional Forest Officer RK Dogra were also present.