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| As Qazi hangs around, Govt overhauls Forest deptt | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu|Sep 12
Even as the ministerial future of Qazi Mohammad Afzal of the Peoples Democratic Party hangs in balance, the government is reported to have made sweeping changes in the Forest department that has been mired in controversy since last week.
Highly placed sources told EARLY TIMES that the government has made significant changes in the Forest department which were put on hold when Qazi Mohammad Afzal was the Minister in-charge of this department. It is also learnt that even the charge of administrative secretary has been relocated but the official sources were tight lipped on this development.
Sources said that the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Irshad Ahmed Khan has been given the additional charge of Integrated Watershed Development Program. This was earlier held by RD Tiwari. The Principal Chief Conservator, who is head of the department, has reportedly been given additional charge.
It is also learnt that the administrative charge of the Forest department has also been relocated and given to Anil Goswami, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister.
Apart from the problems in State Forest Corporation and lease of forest land to other departments or parties, the Integrated Watershed Development Program (IWDP) has been a major issue in the department. It may be mentioned here that the IWDP is a World Bank funded project and this has been on a slow pace for sometimes now for a variety of reasons. A clash of ego on expertise is also believed to be a major cause which had been slowing down the project.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Irshad Ahmed Khan has earlier remained on a ten years deputation with the World Bank and has good connections with the officers in the international funding institution and its India office. Ever since Tiwari was made the head of IWDP the World Bank slowed down the funding of project in Jammu and Kashmir and various proposals remained at the negotiating stage for a long. In the meantime the PCCF Irshad Ahmed Khan began vying for IWDP.
Finally the government is reported to have handed over the charge of IWDP to Irshad Ahmed Khan who is well versed with the World Bank funding pattern and their priorities.
In another development, the government has made Chander Mohan Seth as Chairman of the Pollution Control Board. It may be mentioned here that Seth has been a classmate of the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
According to reliable sources, the file pertaining to these officers was approved by the Chief Minister last evening. Interestingly, no one in the secretariat not even the office of Minister of State for Forests had any knowledge of these developments.
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