Kolkata, July 14 (IANS) The West Bengal government had taken an in-principle decision over fresh hiring in the state’s forest department, especially forest guards and Bana Sahayaks (Forest Assistants) through the state police recruitment Board, announced Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a gathering for the inauguration of ‘Aranya Saptaha’ — Forest Week in West Bengal — which commenced on Tuesday and will run until July 20, the Chief Minister said that the decision for fresh recruitments for the forest department through the state police recruitment Board had been taken to ensure a totally transparent and corruption-free recruitment system.

Incidentally, during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led regime and during the tenures of both Rajib Banerjee (from 2018 to 2021) and Jyotipriya Mallick (from 2011 to 2023), there were allegations of irregularities in forest department recruitments, especially as regards to appointments for Bana Sahayaks, who are basically contractual and temporary forest workers under the state forest department, who are utilised for various activities like assisting in forest patrol, tree plantation, and wildlife protection.

An official from the state forest department said that once the hiring is done through the state police recruitment Board the employment-system will be brought under a mechanism eliminating the possibilities of irregularities in the process.

“There are many employees in the state forest department who work at great risk. They lack many things. There is a staff shortage. There is a lack of infrastructure. These employees have to operate with such deficiencies. I have asked the state forest minister, Manoj Oraon, to submit the details related to vacancies and infrastructure related requirements to the Chief Secretary. Attempts will be made to fill the vacant posts at the earliest,” the Chief Minister said.

Earlier, while addressing the inaugural function, the Chief Minister underscored the state government’s commitment to maintaining a balance between industrial development and environmental protection.

He also said that the new government led by him, will henceforth, strictly enforce the existing regulation stipulating that for any project’s approval, two-thirds of the total project area must be designated for essential infrastructure, with the remaining one-third allocated for plantations.

–IANS

src/rad