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 de.
