The Range Officers of the Forest department have adopted a confrontationist stand against the department on a number of issues including the discrepancies in the pay-scale of officials of different ranks.
In a meeting on Monday the Forest Area Officials Association (FAOA) criticized Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) AK Malhotra for putting a proposal with regard to the status of the Range Officers (RO).
“Disregarding the original provision, the PCCF has put a proposal before the government and suggested status of non-gazetted officer for Range Officers,” said General Secretary FAOA AK Singh.
The association decried the government for maintaining an awkward policy which makes makes a Forrester entitled for a higher pay scale when promoted to the post of Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) while an RO gets a lower pay scale for the same post. As per government rules, a Forrester becomes a ACF after 24 years and becomes entitled for pay scale of Rs 5400 while an RO who becomes ACF after 12 years is entitled to a pay scale of Rs 4800.
“We have approached Finance department on several occasion however our demands have been turned down on trivial grounds,” said Singh.
According the office bearers of the association the Finance department had on earlier occasions dismissed the demands of a justified scale on the pretext of an RO’s condition vis-à-vis a Forrester in neighbouring state and elsewhere.
“The refuse our demand on such trivial grounds,” added Singh. The FAOA has threatened to intensify stir if the government doesn’t pay heed to their demand. The FAOA has asked the government to frame service rules for the ROs, give benefits under Assured Career Progression Scheme, increase number staffs and improve infrastructure to help the officials perform in a better way.