Nagpur: The social forestry department (SFD) is in for a major overhaul as its Pune-based headquarters headed by director-general & PCCF rank officer will be shifted to Nagpur and six circles headed by the conservator of forest (CF) rank officers will be closed.
A new circle will be opened in Nanded. The proposed Nanded circle will have Latur, Hingoli, Parbhani and Nanded division, which will be carved out of Aurangabad circle. SFD divisions will also be included in the new Nanded circle as recommended.
The Nanded circle has been proposed for effective control. Currently, Latur in Aurangabad circle is about 250km from Aurangabad, while Parbhani and Hingoli are around 200km away.
State forest minister Sanjay Rathod has accepted the recommendations suggested by a seven-member committee set up on April 28, 2020, to reorganize the SFD for better governance and management. The issue was discussed in details at a video conference on October 20 and a go-ahead was given by the minister.
This will be the third big overhaul for the SFD, which is mainly engaged in developing nurseries and roadside plantations. On December 4, 2014, the social forestry directorate was brought under the control of the forest department. Later on May 30, 2017, the regional offices of SFD were brought under the control of territorial CCFs.
As per the plan, in the first phase the SFD headquarters from Pune will be shifted to Van Bhavan in Nagpur. Secondly, the six SFD circles in Nagpur, Nashik, Amravati, Pune, Aurangabad and Thane will be closed and staff will be redeployed in other wings of the forest department at Nagpur headquarters.
Plan has also been approved to open Nanded circle and a forest division in Kinwat. On October 29, the forest ministry has asked the PCCF (HoFF) to submit a detailed proposal on the requirement of staff, building, and financial implications to the government by November 15.
Kinwat, Mahur and Mandvi forest ranges under the Nanded division are rich in forest and wildlife and are part of the Tipeshwar-Dhyanganga wildlife corridor. Kinwat is sensitive from the forest protection point of view and there have been several assaults by the timber mafia. Nanded is 130km from Kinwat and it is difficult to manage.
PCCF N Rambabu did not respond to TOI calls. As per the reorganization of SFD, the post of APCCF will be downgraded to CCF and shifted to forest academy, Chandrapur.
The six conservators with SFD each will be redeployed with PCCF (wildlife), budget & planning, CAMPA, and Maharashtra Bamboo Development Board offices.