IFS Association Opposes District Collectors' Role in Performance Appraisal
Bhopal: The Central unit of Indian Forest Service (IFS) Association has taken serious exception to a recent order by the Mohan Yadav government empowering the district collectors to do performance appraisal of forest officers serving in their respective jurisdictions, calling it anti-conservation and violation of a supreme court directive.
In a representation to chief minister Mr Yadav, the forest officers’ body has found it baffling that a district collector has been empowered in the order to write the annual performance appraisal report (APAR) of divisional forest officer (DFO) and chief conservator of forest (CCF) and conservator of forest (CF) in his or her district who are senior to him or her in the pay scale.
“It is sadly noted, the said order says that senior officers like Conservator of Forests & Chief Conservator of Forests posted in the District will be assessed by the District Collector / Commissioner, who are generally of officers of much junior in pay scale/ grade pay”, the IFS body said.
Citing the order passed by the supreme court in a case of similar nature, the IFS body termed the order dated June 29, 2024 by the Madhya Pradesh government as clear contravention to the directive by the apex court.
The order dated September 22,2000 passed by the supreme court said that “The competent authority to write the Confidential Report of forest department officers will be the officers superior to them in the same service when posted in the field”.
“The order may develop a situation in which seniority and competence within forest service might be overlooked, leading to demoralisation and de-motivation among the forest officers”, a senior IFS officer warned, unwilling to be quoted.
The association also apprehended potential conflicts of interest.
“District collectors might set development projects as priority which may result in impinging on protected areas, leading to a clash with the core responsibility of IFS officers- the scientific management, protection and conservation of forests and wildlife”, a senior member of the association said.
“A forest officer is held accountable for any situation in the area of his core responsibility, not a district collector”, he added.
