BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Forest Service officers have urged the State Government to frame rules for the assistant conservator of forests (ACF) cadre at the earliest to allow filling up of the vacancies and for effective discharge of field work in the divisions.The ACF being the second in command in the divisions, large-scale vacancies have hampered protection operations besides putting huge burden on the DFOs.The ACF posts are filled up - 50 per cent by direct recruitment and the rest through promotion. However, there has been no direct recruitment since 2007 and an upgradation of forest range officer cadre to Class II has elevated ACF to Class I for which new rules need to be framed.At the two-day general body meeting of the Odisha Forest Service Association from Monday, the members called upon the Government to address the issues immediately. All ACFs and Deputy Conservator of Forests (DFOs) participated on the first day of the meeting which was attended by Forest and Environment Minister Debi Prasad Mishra. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests PN Padhi and PCCF (Wildlife) JD Sharma were present.While the association also raised demands for OFS cadre revision, amendment of recruitment rules and allowance and life insurance to the officers working in Maoist-hit areas, the Minister promised necessary action.PCCF (Wildlife) Sharma was of the view that direct recruitment to one-third posts in all cadres would be a healthy HR practice, while Padhi advised the officers to manage the natural resources of forest effectively. OFSA president Santosh Banchhur presided over the meeting.OFFICE-BEARERS: Later, the general body elected the new office-bearers of the association. Harsha Bardhan Udgata was elected president and Kamal Lochan Purohit vice-president of the association. Ansu Pragyan Das was elected general secretary.
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