Forest Dept top-heavy now

Sushil Manav

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 1

Haryana will now have fewer officers from the Indian Forest Service (IFS) as the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has reduced their authorised cadre strength in the state from 69 to 58.

Sources in the Forest Department said though amendments in the cadre strength of IFS officers were carried out every four years looking into forest area of the state, the present reduction of cadre strength had rendered the department top-heavy.

Haryana has the second lowest forest cover in the country after Punjab. According to the Forest Report 2015 issued by the Forest Survey of India, Haryana has a forest cover of 3.58 per cent. The sources stated that with the recent widening of highways, forest cover had reduced further.

In a notification in the Gazette of India published on November 27, the DoPT said the amendment in the Indian Forest Service (Fixation of Cadre) Regulation, 1966, had been carried out in consultation with the state government.

As per the amended cadre strength notified by the DoPT, there will be 36 senior duty posts under the state government. There will be two Principal Chief Conservators of Forests (PCCFs), one to head the forest force and the other as Chief Wildlife Warden.

Five posts of Additional PCCF have been notified, one each for forestry; development; budget, planning and project formulation; administration; and Forest Clearance Act.

The notification mentions five Chief Conservators of Forests, one each for administration and headquarters and two each for protection and wildlife.

There is provision for seven Conservators of Forests, one each for north circle; south circle; west circle; central Rohtak; maintenance and enforcement; publicity and training; and headquarters. Against these 20 officers posted at the state or division level, there is a provision for only 16 Deputy Conservators of Forests (DCFs) to be posted across 22 districts of the state, making the cadre strength top-heavy.

The sources said with 22 districts and more DCFs required in community division (2), production (4), research (1) and training (1) and some others needed in the Haryana Forest Development Corporation, the state will have to do with HFS officers instead of IFS officers on many posts.

The sources said besides the 36 senior duty posts, the notification had a provision of seven officers for central deputation reserve, nine for state deputation reserve, one for training reserve and five for leave reserve, taking the total cadre strength to 58.

Of these, 41 posts are to be filled by direct recruitment and 17 through promotions. Senior officers of the Forest Department could not be reached for comment. Principal Secretary SN Roy was on leave while PCCF PP Bhojvaid retired yesterday.

Anil Hooda, president of the Haryana IFS Officers Association, said an amendment in their cadre strength was carried out every four years in keeping with the change in forest cover of the state.

Gulshan Ahuja is new dept head

Gulshan Kumar Ahuja, an IFS officer of the 1983 batch, took charge on Friday as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests-cum-head of Forest Department in place of PP Bhojvaid, who retired on Thursday. SM Soma, also an IFS officer of the 1983 batch, who had been working as Additional PCCF (Forestry), was given additional charge of Chief Wildlife Warden.