*Demands holding DPC, reorganisation
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 9: A delegation of Non Gazetted Forest Officers Association (NGFOA) Jammu and Kashmir today called on Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo in his office chamber here today and projected their long pending burning issues.
Led by JK UT president, Rajinder Singh Parihar and comprising Gurcharan Singh Provincial president Jammu, GN War- general secretary among others, the Forest officers team during meeting, submitted a detailed memorandum to the Chief Secretary.
The Association apprised the Chief Secretary of the several genuine issues which are pending redressal for the several years particularly reorganization of Forest Department, removal of pay anomaly, 2 ½ days additional salary, regular DPC of all cadres etc.
Parihar pointed out that reorganization of the Forest Department was held in 1982, thereafter no initiative was taken by the any Govt. Unfortunately this exercise is awaited for the last 42 years. Many posts of Dy Foresters/Foresters and Rangers Grade I&II are lying vacant in many Forest Divisions, Ranges and Blocks but are not being filled up. No regularization has been done of Foresters and Rangers since long. They are facing worst kind of stagnation.
Despite many representations to the higher authorities, the pay anomaly issue of the Non Gazetted Forest officers has not been resolved. Foresters and Rangers are getting less pay as compared to their counterparts in the other departments who were benefitted of 6th and 7th Pay Commissions but these people were left like orphan sons of the government. They also demanded two and half days additional pay as being provided to the field staff of other departments and risk allowance. They also sought redesignation of Class IV employees as MTS.
The meeting remained very fruitful as the Chief Secretary assured that appropriate steps shall be taken by the government for redressal of all genuine issues of Forest front line staff in a time bound manner.
He referred the matter to Commissioner /Secretary Forest for immediate redressal of all the genuine issues of the Forest employees so that the employees of Forest Department facing huge challenges to protect the forest wealth of Jammu and Kashmir get their due share for smooth career progression on the line of other departments.
Later, the Association delegation also called on Commissioner/ Secretary Forests, Sheetal Nanda and discussed the issues being faced by the forest front line who assured that the same shall be redressed soon.
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