Major reshuffle on the cards in Forest Dept

NAGPUR, JUNE 1: A major reshuffle is likely to be effected in the State Forest Department by first week of July.According to available inf...

NAGPUR, JUNE 1: A major reshuffle is likely to be effected in the State Forest Department by first week of July.

According to available information, at least 25 deputy conservator of forests (Dy CFs) and half a dozen conservator of forests (CFs) will be transferred. The CFs to be shifted are from Chandrapur-South, Nashik, Thane and Nagpur circle.

Chandrapur-South forest circle CF Ramanujam Choudhari is likely to be shunted out due to his alleged `incompetence’ to prevent massive illicit tree-felling in his area while other three CFs, Nashik, Thane and Nagpur, will be shifted as they have completed their tenure in their respective circles.

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However, a lobby is also working for an extension of Sarvesh Kumar, the CF of Nagpur circle. According to them, Sarvesh Kumar has handled one of the most complicated circles successfully, and hence he should be given at least one year’s extension.

The transfer of controversial CF of Chandrapur (South) circle, Choudhari, is almost certain. It is alleged that he is being protected by forest secretary Satish Tripathi.

Local politicians, particularly, former Maharashtra minister, Shobhatai Phadnavis, who exposed the `massive tree-felling’ scandal in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli districts and the Lok Sabha member from Chandrapur, Naresh Pugalia, reportedly blamed Choudhari for the `mess’ in the Chandrapur-South forest circle and sought his immediate transfer. They have also demanded that stern action be initiated against him.

The State Forest Department has already suspended as many as 17 forest officials of the circle in this regard, surprisingly giving a virtual clean chit to Choudhari.

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Pugalia, who was in Mumbai on Wednesday, met Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and was reported to have insisted on stern action against Choudhari immediately.

On the other hand, the super boss of the department, the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), A N Ballal, has also recommended stern action against the CF of Chandrapur (South) circle. He reportedly contended that being the seniormost officer of the circle, his role in the entire episode could not be ignored. But nothing has materialised in this connection as Tripathi, the forest secretary, has been allegedly helping Choudhari, from the beginning.

According to reliable sources, Ballal has sent a comprehensive transfer proposal to the government in which he has recommended immediate transfer of Choudhari from Chandrapur-South circle.

Besides, the PCCF has proposed transfer of at least 25 Dy CFs, including the Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) of Nagpur, Gondia, Allapalli, Alibagh and Amravati. Most of these Dy CFs have completed their three-year stints in their respective forest divisions.

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Meanwhile, Ballal is retiring from State services on June 31. He will be succeeded by R B Sule, chief conservator of forests (CCF), Wildlife. Sule, who was the director of Social Forestry, was transferred to the PCCF Office here as CCF (Wildlife) a couple of months back.

The State Government awaits consent of the new PCCF regarding the proposed transfers of these Indian Forests Service (IFS) officers, and hence the delay in the transfer orders, Mantralaya sources said. The proposed transfer orders will materialise only after the retirement of Ballal and appointment of new PCCF, sources further added.