Bhubaneswar: In a significant administrative move aimed at strengthening forest management, the Odisha government has approved a major reshuffle involving several senior Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officers.
According to a notification issued by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, G Rajesh, a 2001-batch IFoS officer currently serving as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PP&A) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CAMPA, has been posted as Additional PCCF (Nodal). Rajesh, who holds an MSc degree, has been actively involved in key projects, including compensatory afforestation and the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project (OFSDP).
In related changes, T Ashok Kumar, Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) of the Sambalpur circle, has been transferred and posted as Conservator of Forests (CCF) and CEO, CAMPA, along with the charge of CCF (PP&A) at the office of the PCCF and Head of Forest Force (HoFF).
Sanjay Kumar Swain, RCCF of the Angul circle, has been given additi
onal charge as Director of the Forest Rangers College in Angul. Swayam Mallick, who has been serving as Conservator of Forests (State Silviculturist) in Bhubaneswar, Joint Project Director of OFSDP, and Director (Commercial) of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC), has been appointed as Special Secretary in the Forest Department while retaining the charge of CF (State Silviculturist).
P Arthanari, currently Conservator of Forests of the Cuttack (KL) circle with additional charge as General Manager (GM) of OFDC, has been allowed to continue in the additional charge of RCCF, Bhubaneswar circle. Samrat Gowda, Deputy Director of Similipal South Wildlife Division, has been transferred and posted as in-charge RCCF, Sambalpur circle. He will also hold additional charges as GM, OFDC, Sambalpur, and Conservator of Forests for the Balangir (KL) circle. In his place, Sumit Kumar Kar, DFO of Dhenkanal, has been posted as Divisional Forest Officer of Similipal South Wildlife Division. Lalit Kumar Patra, DFO of Bonai division, has been shifted to the Dhenkanal division. Prashant Patel, DFO of Similipal North Wildlife Division, has been posted as DFO, Jeypore. Ramesh Kumar, DFO of Kalahandi (North), has been transferred as DFO, Similipal North Wildlife Division.
Additionally, Mirase Pradeep Devidas, DFO of Balangir, has been appointed as the new Deputy Director of Nandankanan Zoological Park.