Himachal Pradesh Forest Employees Federation Opposes New Recruitment Policy

Concerns Over Recruitment for Assistant Forest Guards

Mahinder Patyal
Bharmour

The Federation of Non-Gazetted Forest Employees in Himachal Pradesh's Bharmour Division has voiced strong objections against the state government's recent move to recruit Assistant Forest Guards. They argue that this decision is impractical and harmful to the interests of the department. The federation has issued a clear warning that if the government does not reconsider this decision promptly, employees will be forced to initiate protests.

Avinash Thakur, the President of the federation, highlighted that numerous Forest Guard positions are currently unfilled, which is significantly hampering operations on the ground. He contended that adding new roles like Assistant Forest Guards would not only squander resources but also further destabilize the department's structure.

Thakur pointed out that having overlapping roles such as Forest Guard, Assistant Forest Guard, and Van Mitra within the same area is unfeasible. This situation leads to conflicts over responsibilities, administrative chaos, and hinders the effective execution of duties. He criticized the decision as being entirely out of touch with the realities faced by the department.

The federation has insisted that the vacant Forest Guard positions should be filled through standard recruitment processes to ensure proper forest protection, prevent illegal logging, safeguard wildlife, and maintain effective patrolling.

In a direct appeal to the Chief Minister, the federation has called for the immediate retraction of the new recruitment policy and the reinstatement of the traditional hiring process. They cautioned that neglecting the legitimate demands of employees could lead to widespread protests across the state, for which the government would be held accountable.