Govt shifts 9 top-ranking IFS officers out of B’luru

Bengaluru: Amid complaints of several senior Indian Forest Services (IFS) officials camping in Bengaluru, the state government has ordered the relocation of as many as nine top-ranking ones. Citing ‘administrative and technical’ grounds, they have been asked to shift their operational base to various districts. As per the state government order, the IFS officers and their entire staff will be moved out of Bengaluru permanently.
According to the order dated December 31, 2022, a copy of which was accessed by TOI, nine IFS officers of the ranks of principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCFs) have been moved out of Bengaluru. Until this latest order, officers of both cadre and ex-cadre used to work out of either Aranya Bhavan or Vana Vikas enclave in Malleshwaram limits of Bengaluru.
Following the order, APCCF project elephant and the associated office have been shifted to Hassan. Similarly, the APCCF Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has been moved to Ballari circle. The legal cell of the department has been relocated to Chitradurga and the land records wing of the forest department to Shivamogga.
Similarly, PCCF Karnataka Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) has been shifted to Madikeri and the office of Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation (KSFIC) has been relocated to Hubballi. The forest evaluation wing has also been moved to Mysuru. The National Forestry Action Programme and Bamboo Mission have been shifted from Bengaluru to Dharwad along with social forestry and projects. The order comes close on the heels of many leaders, including CM Basavaraj Bommai, asserting that forest officials need to move out of Bengaluru for the protection of forests.
While the decision has been hailed by a few, several serving and retired IFS officers have criticised the move saying it won’t serve any purpose.
Braj Kishore Singh, former PCCF (HoFF) said, “The order has been passed without application of mind. Project elephant was earlier located in Mysuru and later brought to Bengaluru. But now it has been moved to Hassan. South Karnataka districts see a lot of man-elephant conflicts and Mysuru would have served as the ideal location. Similarly, the legal cell and land records need to coordinate with other departments and wings, the high court as well as the secretariat. Moving them out of Bengaluru will bring down efficiency. KFDC plantations are in Malnad and semi-Malnad areas. What will the MD do sitting in Madikeri? The whole process will lead to additional burden on the exchequer and cause administrative inefficiency.”