Staff crunch hits functioning of Forest Department in Andhra Pradesh
With about 50% of the sanctioned posts lying vacant for many years now, the avowed purpose of protection of forests and their wealth, including wildlife, is affected, it is alleged; the APPSC is supposed to fill as many as 689 posts, say sources
The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is facing a severe staff crunch, with 50% of the sanctioned posts lying vacant for many years now. While the sanctioned posts are more than 3,560, only 1,864 are working in the department as of now.
The successive governments have apparently ignored the recruitment proposals of the department, which is affecting its avowed purpose of protection of forests and their wealth, including wildlife.
According to information, the department has submitted proposals for the recruitment of posts lying vacant. After a lot of persuasion, the Finance Department has given its nod and the APPSC entrusted with the task to fill the posts. The APPSC is supposed to fill as many as 689 posts, say highly-placed sources.
Most of the vacant positions are that of forest guards and foresters, who play a key role in checking the activities of smugglers or intruders carrying out any illegal activities such as poaching, felling of trees, etc. in the protected area.
While the sanctioned strength of IFS officers is 82, only 61 are working in the department. Similarly, only 88 of the sanctioned 95 State cadre officers are in the department. The field staff includes range officers, foresters, beat officers and assistant beat officers. While the sanctioned strength of Ranger is 266, only 169 are present. Of the sanctioned strength of 968 Forester posts, there are only 431 working at present.
The strength of forest guards is abysmally low. While their sanctioned strength is 2,247, only 1,115 are working. So is the strength of field staff like assistant forest beat officer, forest beat officer, forest section officer and forest ranger officer.
A forest beat officer has to take care of 3,000 to 6,000 hectares of forest area on an average, while the forest section officer will have to look after nearly 15,000 to 30,000 hectares and the forest ranger nearly 25,000 to 40,000 hectares, say sources.
When the government has in principle cleared the proposal to recruit the staff, the Finance Department has suggested recruiting the staff on contract basis.
“But it is not a right policy to take people on contractual positions as monitoring and protecting the forest is a sensitive job. We need people who can be held responsible and accountable for their work,” says an official.
The government later approved the proposal to recruit 689 employees. Of them, 630 employees are range officer, section officers, assistant beat and beat officers. “The APPSC has been asked to take up the recruitment, and the process will be initiated shortly,” sources say.
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