Other States - Himachal Pradesh   

Foresters, police officers at loggerheads with IAS

By Kanwar Yogendra

SHIMLA NOV. 26 . The Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in Himachal Pradesh are planning a joint strategy against what they call "the powerful IAS lobby" over delay in their promotions. There is widespread resentment among both IPS and IFS officers' associations these days. The top-heavy administrative structure in Himachal Pradesh has 126 posts of IAS cadre, 72 posts of IPS and 102 posts of IFS cadre.

Most of the promotions are given to IAS officers in the State. Five of them were approved only recently for senior administrative officers. This move of the government was "welcomed" with great displeasure at a recently held meeting of IPS and IFS officers' associations. They complained of "step-motherly treatment" and an attitude of "never being heard" in comparison to their counterparts in IAS.

The IPS lobby has now met the Chief Minister and was able to secure some assurance for itself, it is believed. But the IFS officers, belonging to the third all-India services in the State, on the other hand are feeling totally left out and alienated to the core.

The IFS Officers' Association in its meeting held here yesterday demanded that the cadre controlling authority for the Forest Services should also be the Personnel Department like the Administrative Services and not the Forest Administrative Department, who has been always indifferent to their requirements and requests. The police services in the State are being controlled by the State Home Department.

The foresters feel there are no future openings, promotional avenues, suitable policy formulations or proper management of the cadre strength going on in their departments.

They had alleged that their situation is even worst, when compared to the IFS-cadres in some neighbouring States, which have gone for a lot of precision and initiative in view of the career planning.

In a totally anomalous situation the forest officers of 1991 batch who are eligible for the selection grade are not being given their due. The officers of 1989 batch, some of whom are retiring even now, have not been given the selection grade, said inside sources. The IFS officers upto the batch of 1989 are not given promotions and release of CF-scale (Conservator Forest). At least 28 such officers from the 1986 batch onwards are awaiting this promotion.

"Surprisingly they are still holding charge as DFOs and DMs, just like the much junior Range Officers who have come into the State Forest Services just a couple of years ago," said a senior IFS. In the case of IAS, he said, a super time scale of 18400-22500 has been given to 1989 batch officers while in the IPS cadres promotions as DIGs have been started for the same batch.

Similarly, only one IFS officer of 1979 batch has been promoted as Chief Conservator of Forests, whereas all IFS officers upto 1986 batch are eligible for this. On the other hand the IAS cadre managed by the Personnel Department, has managed to get this scale upto 1989 batch, which is two years in advance.

For the post of Addl. PCCF, only one out of seven officer has been promoted. One post to be promoted, as PCCF is also vacant in the department, complained the IFS Association.

When asked the reason for this widespread and unbridled stagnation, the IFS officers say that "only a few senior officers at CF and above level are opting for the central and state deputation reserve as per the cadre policy".

"The pastures are greener back home, for these top level officers," lamented the stagnating middle-rung officers. Some States like Punjab, Uttaranchal and Madhya Pradesh have successfully done away with this problem of stagnation, they said.

"There is an immediate need to encadre sufficient posts in the rank of CF and above by keeping same number of posts in the rank of DCF in abeyance," they added.

"The situation has to be eased otherwise it would lead to sinking of morale and the foresters might start a non-cooperation attitude with the ever increasing foreign aided projects in the State," said another officer.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Foresters, police officers at loggerheads with IAS

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu