news details |
|
|
| Ex-upright NC minster choose forest guards, foresters, range officers over IFS, SFS officers; Afzal replaced few | | Raj Bhawan unaware of muck? | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 13: Governor N.N. Vohra's administration which recently reshuffled several senior forest officers within two month's time did nothing to correct the brazen wrongs perpetuated by ex-Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Mian Altaf.
Altaf, who took keen interest in transfer and postings of even forest guards, had handed over several important divisions to Foresters, Forest Guards and even Rangers. As sources said, Secretary Mohammed Afzal shuffled officers just because some IFS officers including Deepak Khanna had represented against their postings but forgot to inform the Governor N.N.Vohra about several junior officers manning important positions in various wings of the forest department.
Despite having both IFS and SFS officers alongwith newly recruited ACFs available, ex-Minister administration which was then also being manned by same secretary Mohammed Afzal preferred Forest Guards, Foresters and matric pass rangers for manning various important positions. Even after Governor rule was imposed, more than 50 junior rung officers which includes Range Officers, Foresters and Forest Guards are working as Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) and Deputy Directors as well as officers in other wings of the forest departments.
The divisions in Kashmir valley where Altaf during his tenure handed over the charge of DFO to Incharge Range Officers include Sindh, Bandipora, Pir Panjal, Special Division Tangmarg, Urban Forestry Division Srinagar, Lidder, Shopian, Kamraj and Kehmil. Kulgam, Jhelum Valley and Langate are the only three forest divisions where full-fledged and technically qualified DFOs have been assigned the responsibility.
Two posts of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) in Anantnag and North Circle are both vacant despite adequate availability of officers in this rank. An officer born on the cadre of IWDP namely Munir Ahmed Bhat is Project Officer Uri CAT-II. This officer has been given undue advantage despite availability of several other senior officers in the department who could have been assigned the task of looking after the Catchment Area Treatment in Uri. He is working against the post of DFO.
In Jammu region, Afzal had the urgency of adjusting few IFS officers without realizing the need for filling up the 6 of the 7 posts of Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF). The only post which Mian Altaf filled up was that of Chenab Circle Doda where SFS officer Mohinder Singh was given the responsibility. Other six divisions where this post was not filled up include East Circle Jammu, Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi and Nowshera.
This is despite ACFs being available in good number but Mian Altaf preferred to send these fresh recruits to forest protection force than giving them the responsibility for which they had been primarily appointed. The ACFs have represented several times for being given the responsibility of contributing in the field operations and at places where their knowledge of forests and botany would have been helpful for the department. Barring a few exceptions, ex-Minister and now MLA Kangan Mian Altaf preferred forests guards over IFS and SFS officers.
NC-Congress coalition government posted a 12th pass DDR trained Forester Anwar Aftab Shah as DFO of critically important Udhampur Forest Division. Vohra, who is presently heading the state government, also did not bother to ask Afzal as to why this manipulation of rules has been allowed and on whose behest. Another Incharge Range Officer-Grade 1 Amrik Singh is working on the DFO level post in National Highway-1A project Batote. Interestingly, Anwar seemingly had some higher qualification which was known to the Secretary Forest only.
Apart from Udhampur Division, all the other 16 divisions of Jammu region have either SFS or IFS officers working as Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs). Foresters are looking after most of the ranges in Jammu region. Interestingly, Governor N.N.Vohra has also been kept in dark about several forest ranges being looked after by newly recruited forest guards and foresters. Leave aside forest guards; an Assistant Survey Officer (ASO) Manzoor Hussain is incharge of Sunjawan range.
Another junior officer Ghulam Qadir who is essentially an employee of Social Forestery department is incharge of Jidrah range. Siraj Range is being looked after by Javed Abdullah, who is a forester despite Range officers being available with the department. Most of the ranges in Bhaderwah division have been handed over to foresters and as on date, forest department has no forester to looking after the forests. Foresters Surinder Singh, Munish Gupta, Angraz Singh, Sajad Ahmed and Mohammed Iqbal are all working as incharge Range Officers. Apart from these, several other forest guards and foresters are working as incharge Range officers and there is no one to restore order in the forest department.
Governor N.N.Vohra should better ask a question or two to the Secretary Mohammed Afzal about this complete disorder in the forest department, basis of which are all based on lies. An in-depth inquiry or ground survey into the ranges of all these forest guards and foresters who have been made Range Officers would bring to light spine chilling facts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
