Forest officers will no longer avoid responding to phone calls of public representatives. Forest department has issued a strict advisory to all of officers directing them to follow mobile phone etiquette prescribed for public servant. The only way they can duck the buck is by going deep in the forest where network is not available.
Principal chief conservator of forest Arijit Banerjee has directed all forest officials to respond to all the phone calls they receive on their official mobile.
In an order addressed to all forest officials including field officers. Banerjee, who is chief of administration, has warned for disciplinary action if the office receives complaints of officers not responding on phone.
He has also directed officers to store numbers of all members parliament and MLAs in their mobile phones.
The order has come in the backdrop of forest minister Sanjay Sharma's bashing of senior officers not picking up phones of public representatives. Soon after taking over the charge, Sharma complained head of forest force (HoFF) Munish Garg about officers not responding to public representatives calls.
Sharma categorically alleged even Munish Garg of his mobile line being continuously engaged. Sharma had issued strict warning to forest officers to mend ways.
Sharma had also asked Garg to settle the dispute between field director P Kathirvel and deputy field director Mohit Gupta of Ranthambore national park disturbing the working ecosystem.
Taking a swift action on new minister's advisory, Arjit Banerjee issued an order asking officers to strictly abide by the rules of response.
Forest officers to return calls if busy
Banerjee wrote that not picking up phones or not answering to calls is considered as an inappropriate behaviour for public servants.
“If you are busy in any official work or meeting and unable to pick up call, ensure that the call is answered immediately after you are free from the meeting or important work. Any laxity in this will not be tolerated,” Arijit Banerjee mentioned in the order.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
