BHUBANESWAR: Directorate of Vigilance’s forest wing is plagued with shortage of manpower in all its units. The task of the wing, established in 1979 with the objective of checking smuggling of forest resources as well as minerals, was also to provide technical advice to the Directorate of Vigilance regarding forests, agriculture, soil conservation and horticulture.
The wing is supposed to share anti-corruption intelligence reports and information on any irregularity in Forest and Agriculture departments. While it is partially functional at the Vigilance Directorate in Cuttack and at five other divisions - Sambalpur, Balasore, Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and Koraput, it does not have any presence in Rourkela.
Initially, a DSP rank officer was heading the wing at the Vigilance Directorate in Cuttack and the team included a ranger, forester and a guard each. However, after a few years, the Directorate of Vigilance and Forest department agreed to post one deputy conservator of forests and a forester each along two guards in the wing’s unit in Cuttack.
Similarly, it was decided to create a wing’s unit in all the divisions of Vigilance in the state and post an ACF or a ranger, one forester and two forest guards in each of them. At present, there is neither an ACF or a ranger in the wing’s units in Sambalpur, Berhampur and Koraput.
The wing does not have forest guards at its Balasore and Cuttack units. In its Bhubaneswar unit, the wing does not have a forester and a guard. The wings of Berhampur and Koraput units are functioning with only a forester and a guard while the Sambalpur unit has only one forester.
“Directorate of Vigilance had requested the state government to create one Forest Wing unit in Vigilance’s Rourkela division. A request was also made to fill the sanctioned strength in all the units of the forest wing,” said a senior officer.
Sources said the Forest department is supposed to send its officers and personnel to the wing on deputation. The salaries of the officers and personnel posted in the wing are paid by the Forest department which is also faced with a manpower crunch. The officers and personnel of the forest wing are functioning under the supervision of SPs of each Vigilance Division. In the absence of adequate manpower, difficulties are being faced in carrying out enforcement and conducting inquiries related to various irregularities, said another senior officer.
Sources said the Directorate of Vigilance normally asks all units of its forest wing to annually register about 180 cases related to smuggling of forest resources and minerals. However, due to shortage of manpower, the wing’s units are able to register about 120 to 130 cases.
Due to shortage of manpower, the officers and personnel posted in Cuttack wing’s unit are assisting Balasore, Bhubaneswar and Berhampur units in enforcement activities.
In dire straits
The wing does not have forest guards at its Balasore and Cuttack units
In its Bhubaneswar unit, the wing does not have a forester and a guard
The wings of Berhampur and Koraput units are functioning with only a forester and a guard
The Sambalpur unit has only one forester