Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in Madhya Pradesh are in direct confrontation with IAS cadre over a recent order of the state government which empowers an IAS officer to review the performance of IFS officers complete annual appraisal performance review (APAR) from district forest officers (DFO) to principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF).
The IFS Association of Madhya Pradesh (MPIFSA) said that the current order of Madhya Pradesh government is a clear violation of Supreme Court order which states that the authority responsible for writing the confidential report of officers up to the level of additional chief conservator of forests (APCCF) must be a senior officer within the same service.
The IFS Association (central unit), New Delhi, has also expressed concerns regarding the Madhya Pradesh government's order, citing it as a violation of the Supreme Court order and fearing that it could hinder the independent and impartial functioning of forest officers, thus affecting forest and wildlife conservation efforts.
Many states have IAS as reviewing authority in forest departments
In several states like including Karnataka, Maharshtra, Odisha and Rajasthan among few others, the APARs of senior IFS profilers are being filled by IAS officers. Though this is a clear violation of Supreme Court ruling, IFS officers are
“For protection of biodiversity, impartial functioning of forest officer and conservation of forests, Indian Forest Service needs limited autonomy what Supreme Court has upheld. State governments must comply with the Supreme Court decision for better management of conservation work,” said Dr. Deep Narayan Pandey, a renowned scholar and former Head of Forest Force of Rajasthan.
He said that the IFS Association has submitted several times before the Rajasthan government also for complying with the Supreme Court decision. “Nothing has come out so far,” he said.
Currently there is a Head of Forest Force (HoFF) in the Forest set up. The department, however is headed by additional chief secretary level officer. While IFS Arijit Banerjee is holding the post of HoFF, senior IAS Aparna Arora is the ACS.
Andaman government had to apologise to Supreme Court
In Madhya Pradesh, IFS officers are contemplating to file a contempt against the state government. They argue that the Andaman government had to apologise before the Supreme Court for a similar “mistake.”
“The new order regarding involvement of IAS in APAR process of IFS officers threaten to undermine our authority. We suspect that the order is aimed at influencing the conservative working of forest department. We don't give environmental clearances and Forest permission without tight due diligence. The imposition of authority of IAS may fringe limited autonomy,” said an IFS officer.
 said that the current order of Madhya Pradesh government is a clear violation of Supreme Court order which states that the authority responsible for writing the confidential report of officers up to the level of additional chief conservator of forests (APCCF) must be a senior officer within the same service.){kind=link}