COIMBATORE: A day after the state government transferred 19 Assistant Conservator of forests (ACFs) across the state, the Tamil Nadu Staff Association on Tuesday said the decision has come after a long delay. The association said many ACFs have been working for close to six years in a division, which is in violation of the three-year norm.
K Sivaprakasam, president of the association, said, “The transfer order of ACFs is an eyewash as one of the ACFs, who was working in Coimbatore has been transferred to a faraway place. At the same time, another ACF who was working in the Tiruppur district was transferred to Pollachi (same circle). It is evident that some ACFs are being transferred to faraway places as punishment. However, no inquiry has been initiated against them. There is no transparency in the transfer order.”
A total of 19 ACFs from forest divisions and tiger reserves were transferred with immediate effect based on GO 198. The order was issued by the forests department's additional chief secretary Supriya Sahu. In April 2022, the forest department transferred range officers and foresters.