KOCHI: The state government on Thursday informed the Ernakulam Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal that the transfer of a forest official facing allegations in the Muttil tree-felling case was only a charge rearrangement made in view of administrative exigencies. The submission related to the transfer of Deputy Conservator of Forests N T Sajan, who was been posted as the chief conservator of forests (CCF), southern circle, Kollam.
Meanwhile, the bench extended the stay on the decision to appoint Sajan as CCF. The state made the submission when a petition filed by IFS officer Sanjayan Kumar seeking to declare that Sajan, who holds the post of deputy conservator of forests (DCF), is not entitled to be given full charge of CCF, southern circle.
The government said the principal CCF — as the head of the forest force — had submitted a proposal to create an ex-cadre post of the level of additional principal CCF due to shortage of officers at the headquarters, keeping in abeyance the cadre post of CCF (working plan and research).
The government then proposed to appoint Pramod G Krishnan to the post. However, it was found that he was discharging functions relating to several other posts. Hence, it was decided to transfer the CCF (working plan and research), Sanjayan Kumar, to the headquarters as CCF (southern circle).
The transfer was for administrative convenience and to fill at least one out of the three posts at the CCF-level now lying vacant at the headquarters, the government said. The other three officers included in the government order are officers in the rank of DCF.