Mayor orders repatriation of excess forest staff

Roiled over the excess staff in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) forest cell, Mayor N Shanthakumari, on Tuesday, ordered the commissioner to repatriate 16 officers not required in the palike.

 

At a review meeting, it was found that as against the sanctioned post of two Deputy Forest Officers (DFO) and two Assistant Conservators of Forest (ACF), 20 officials have been serving in the Forest Department including Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), Brijesh Kumar. 

The mayor also recommended merger of forest department with the horticulture department and rejuvenation of eight nurseries to supply saplings across the City.

Further, rebutting the claims made by the chief conservator of forest that 7.13 lakh saplings had been planted in the last four years, she said, the City would look like dense forest if five lakh trees planted in four years survived. CCF Brijesh Kumar, however, countered saying that the same set of documents were submitted to the High Court, which too accepted it.  

The mayor said, in the last four years, 17.97 lakh tree saplings were grown in various nurseries of which 7.13 lakh have been planted. “Where are the remaining saplings?” she questioned, for which the CCF had no reply. Ruling party leader N R Ramesh said, in the last four years, the forest department could generate a revenue of Rs 60.69 lakh, whereas salaries paid to forest officials was Rs 6.27 crore.