Major changes in TS Forest Department

Hyderabad, Feb 5 (INN): In accordance with the instructions of the Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to act tough in areas where the forest is large junk, committed and dedicated officers in the forest department have been posted.

The State Government has transferred nearly 200 officers. Officers with commitment in protecting the forests and afforestation in forest areas are posted in important places. Recently the Chief Minister has instructed to initiate steps for forest rejuvenation in forest lands with a slogan 'Jangal Bachavo-Jangal Badavo' (Save the forest and improve the forest). He made it very clear that the responsibility of saving the forest should be entrusted to officers with commitment. He said that instead of most of the officers working at headquarters they should be moved to field level.

In tune with the Chief Minister's instructions, forest reforms have been initiated. This includes appointing committed officers at important places, initiating action against those officers who helped the smugglers, issued memos to those officers who are irresponsible in their duties etc.,

Officers with good record and name in protecting the forests have been appointed at important places. With this about 200 officers from Chief Conservator level to Beet officers have been transferred. CM has approved and signed on concerned file on Tuesday. 21 officers who are working currently at district level as Chief Conservators, Conservators and DFOs have been entrusted with the responsibility of the districts. Chief Conservator of forests AK Sinha to Achampet, Conservator of forests Sharwanand, Vinod Kumar to Medak and Kawaal, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jangaon, Bhupalapally, Khammam, Palvancha, Kinnerasani, Warangal, Khanapur, Nizamabad, Amrabad, Banswada, Illendu, Khagaznagar, Echoda new DFOs have been appointed. 19 Range officers have been transferred. New Range officers are appointed at Mahabubabad, Gudur, Gangaram, Bayyaram, Azamnagar, Peddapalli, Narsampeta, Mancherial, Dornakal, Karimnagar, Kothagudem, Keramerri, Bellampally, Tiryani, Gandhari, Banswada, Pitlam, Nagireddypeta and Dulapally. In all 160 foresters and Beet officers are transferred.

The Chief Minister has instructed recently that such of those officers who are careless and irresponsible in their duties of protecting the forests and also indulging and helping the smugglers are to be punished severely. With this on the complaint of colluding with the smugglers 11 forest officers have been suspended. They include officers from Forest development level to forest guards' level. Memos have also been issued to those who are careless and irresponsible in their jobs.