Chennai: In a major operation clean up and to revamp to the state forest department, forest minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, who usually maintains low profile and seen to be inactive among the AIADMK ministers, sprung a surprise by bringing in non corrupt officers and efficient officials for the top key posts in forest department.
Post Kurangani fire tragedy which claimed 22 lives, senior minister Seenivasan was unhappy with the ranks and files of the forest department and waited for the mishap related developments to settle and has now started singling out senior officers under the guise of transfer, said confidential insiders in Panagal buildings, the state forest headquarters.
Close to six top officials in the ranks of conservator of forests and above were transferred in connection with the trekking incident and another 10 Indian forest service officers were transferred for not being efficient and delaying the forest department projects.
The minister is also unhappy with the department secretary Md Nasimuddin and is now handling the department with the new principal chief conservator of forest Upadyay known for his clean image, sources said adding that the officers in the sidelined posts have now been brought to key posts.
According to senior forest ranger this is the first time that the senior list of IFS officers have been followed in the past 10 years and suitable positions have been given. Officers known for their scientific and conservation skills had also been positioned at key posts like Shekhar Kumar Niraj will now head the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation at Vandalur which made headlines for being a non starter despite being former CM Jayalalthaa's dream project.
Another crucial change is that the department has appointed Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve Field director Venkatesh known for his tough stand against tea estates in reserve forests is posted as the new additional principal chief conservator of forests for project tiger. In a recent meeting the minister also shot back at a few officers when they explained the cause for Kurangani deaths.
“Please do not give vague answers do you know what disrepute you officers have brought to the entire department and people have lost their lives and you don't understand the seriousness,” the minister took them to task in closed meeting, sources added.
