Kolkata: The Bengal govt has tightened its grip on the transfer and posting of forest department personnel, effectively curtailing the independent powers of the principal chief conservator of forests (Head of Forest Force or HoFF) and other senior field-level officials in moving range officers and beat officers.An order issued by the state forest department on Friday makes prior written concurrence of the department mandatory for every transfer or posting of these two categories of personnel. Proposals will have to be routed through the forest directorate, with the department required to dispose of them within 30 days.The move significantly centralises administrative control, taking away the discretionary transfer powers previously exercised by the PCCF (HoFF), regional and divisional-level authorities. Even the HoFF can now make only temporary local arrangements or assign additional charges for up to 30 days in cases of extreme administrative exigencies or medical emergencies, pending departmental approval.“The HoFF knows the competency of his staff. The order could have implications for operational flexibility in forest management, particularly when urgent redeployment of personnel is needed to tackle wildlife emergencies, poaching or forest protection challenges,” said a source. Mandatory departmental clearance could also introduce an additional layer of bureaucracy in field-level administration.The department of forests, govt of West Bengal, is the state’s administrative and policy-making arm, headed by the additional chief secretary, while the forest directorate is the executive wing responsible for implementing departmental decisions and managing field operations under the PCCF (HoFF).
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