Times of India: Nagpur: Saturday, 19 September 2020.
Information received under RTI reveals out of 122 posts of DFO, 31 posts (25%) are vacant.
With mind-boggling 3,170 posts remaining vacant in the state forest department, most of them involving forest and wildlife protection, policy implementation and decision-making have gone for a six.
“Though the number of vacant posts is till March 2020, more must have been created in the last six months. Most of the field posts are ‘deliberately’ not being filled despite department promotion committee (DPC) approving them. Recently, 160 forest officers were shifted, but many sensitive posts have been left vacant by forest minister,” said RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar.
Information received by Kolarkar under RTI states that of the total 27,849 sanctioned posts in the department, only 24,679 are filled while 3,170 are lying vacant. Though some vacant posts like paniwala, cabin attendants, washermen etc look irrelevant, a large number of vacancies in Group A, B, C & D category reveal a glaring picture, he said.
The department appears to be lax in filling important executive posts as well as front-line and ministerial staff for a long time. Despite department promotion committee (DPC) and civil service board (CSB) clearing lists, orders are not issued on time, said Kolarkar.
Information received under RTI reveals out of 122 posts of DFO, 31 posts (25%) are vacant. These cadre officers play key role in implementing government schemes in the field as well as forest and wildlife protection. “Even after availability of suitable officers, they are denied promotion,” said Kolarkar.
“The vacancy figures are till March 2020. If September is considered, the number of vacancies may even be more. In Group B category, a large number 125 posts of RFO are vacant, adversely affecting protection in the field. This has led to encroachments and poaching,” he said.
Similarly, in Group B category, nine out of 17 posts of statisticians are vacant. This cadre is involved in updating various forest data to prepare annual administrative reports. “Forest portal shows outdated data and the department is yet to publish annual report of 2019-20 due to vacancies,” Kolarkar said.
Of the seven crucial posts of assistant medical officers, three are vacant. Though these posts are filled by deputation, vacancy is for a long period hampering proper and timely treatment to injured wild animals.
In the Group B category, 36 posts out of 90 sanctioned posts of stenographers are vacant. This is affecting daily office work to a great extent. For these posts, even after availability of suitable candidates they are denied promotions. Beside, of the total sanctioned 147 posts, 52 posts (35%) in Group B non-gazetted category are vacant.
Similarly, in Group C category, out of 150 posts of police constables, 36 are vacant. These posts are mostly with mobile squad unit responsible for patrolling in sensitive forest areas to check organized illicit felling as well as poaching.
Kolarkar said most important posts of front-line staff, such as foresters and forest guards, are also vacant. RTI reveals 746 posts of forest guards and 483 posts of foresters are vacant as on March 2020.
There is no clerk in most of the ranges and RFOs are dependent on daily wage labourers or contractual staff. The RTI reply also states that many posts which are either of no use for the department are lying vacant since long. These posts include assistant mechanic, compounders/dressers, caretaker, launch drivers, lathe men, radio mechanic, storekeepers, wireless operators, projector operator etc. “These posts should have been scrapped as they have become redundant now. But due to casual approach of the department, these posts are on paper only,” says Kolarkar.
Information received under RTI reveals out of 122 posts of DFO, 31 posts (25%) are vacant.
With mind-boggling 3,170 posts remaining vacant in the state forest department, most of them involving forest and wildlife protection, policy implementation and decision-making have gone for a six.
“Though the number of vacant posts is till March 2020, more must have been created in the last six months. Most of the field posts are ‘deliberately’ not being filled despite department promotion committee (DPC) approving them. Recently, 160 forest officers were shifted, but many sensitive posts have been left vacant by forest minister,” said RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar.
Information received by Kolarkar under RTI states that of the total 27,849 sanctioned posts in the department, only 24,679 are filled while 3,170 are lying vacant. Though some vacant posts like paniwala, cabin attendants, washermen etc look irrelevant, a large number of vacancies in Group A, B, C & D category reveal a glaring picture, he said.
The department appears to be lax in filling important executive posts as well as front-line and ministerial staff for a long time. Despite department promotion committee (DPC) and civil service board (CSB) clearing lists, orders are not issued on time, said Kolarkar.
Information received under RTI reveals out of 122 posts of DFO, 31 posts (25%) are vacant. These cadre officers play key role in implementing government schemes in the field as well as forest and wildlife protection. “Even after availability of suitable officers, they are denied promotion,” said Kolarkar.
“The vacancy figures are till March 2020. If September is considered, the number of vacancies may even be more. In Group B category, a large number 125 posts of RFO are vacant, adversely affecting protection in the field. This has led to encroachments and poaching,” he said.
Similarly, in Group B category, nine out of 17 posts of statisticians are vacant. This cadre is involved in updating various forest data to prepare annual administrative reports. “Forest portal shows outdated data and the department is yet to publish annual report of 2019-20 due to vacancies,” Kolarkar said.
Of the seven crucial posts of assistant medical officers, three are vacant. Though these posts are filled by deputation, vacancy is for a long period hampering proper and timely treatment to injured wild animals.
In the Group B category, 36 posts out of 90 sanctioned posts of stenographers are vacant. This is affecting daily office work to a great extent. For these posts, even after availability of suitable candidates they are denied promotions. Beside, of the total sanctioned 147 posts, 52 posts (35%) in Group B non-gazetted category are vacant.
Similarly, in Group C category, out of 150 posts of police constables, 36 are vacant. These posts are mostly with mobile squad unit responsible for patrolling in sensitive forest areas to check organized illicit felling as well as poaching.
Kolarkar said most important posts of front-line staff, such as foresters and forest guards, are also vacant. RTI reveals 746 posts of forest guards and 483 posts of foresters are vacant as on March 2020.
There is no clerk in most of the ranges and RFOs are dependent on daily wage labourers or contractual staff. The RTI reply also states that many posts which are either of no use for the department are lying vacant since long. These posts include assistant mechanic, compounders/dressers, caretaker, launch drivers, lathe men, radio mechanic, storekeepers, wireless operators, projector operator etc. “These posts should have been scrapped as they have become redundant now. But due to casual approach of the department, these posts are on paper only,” says Kolarkar.
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