BENGALURU: The crucial post of director at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) has been lying vacant for a long time and conservationists have been demanding that the post at the prime forest patch of India be filled at the earliest to continue with the good work of protection. But the Forest Department is struggling to fill this and other important posts across the state, including that of chief conservator of forests (CCF), Deputy Conservators of Forests (DCFs) and Conservators of Forests (CFs).
The situation is so dire that many officers are handling three posts. The shortage is also because of some officers being deputed to non-IFS posts, said a senior forest department official, seeking anonymity. “The vacant posts can be filled and the burden on those who are handling multiple posts can be eased if the government clears a long-pending proposal of elevating state forest department officers, who have served for 12 years, to the IFS cadre. 25 officers are eligible for such an upgrade, but the file is pending before the state government,” the official said.
The prime posts of CCFs at Madikeri, Mysuru, Shivamogga and Chickamagaluru too have been vacant for a long time. Of the 17 posts of directors and conservators of forests, six are vacant. “There are positions and there are vacancies. At some places, the post of director of parks and sanctuaries can be elevated to conservator of forests and it is being done. But, staffers are stretched and attention to conservation sometimes takes a beating,” the official pointed out.
Now, Mysuru CF Karikalan also holds the post of Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve after the tenure of Natesh, who was an IFS officer from Jharkhand, ended in Karnataka on December 29, 2021. After Natesh, many names were floating around for the plum post, and on January 18, two names were shortlisted and placed before the government for consideration. Since then, there has been no movement on the file.”
Conservationists said the long delay in appointing the director for BTR at that time of the year when the tiger census was done and the forests are prone to fires exposes the lack of seriousness and foresight of the state government. “When the Karnataka forest department is striving hard to make the state number one in tiger numbers and is working on protection of forests, not filling up vacant posts only indicates that the government is not keen on forest protection,” said a conservationist.