Jaipur: The Rajasthan forest department has kept the transfer and posting of 13 deputy conservators of forests (DCFs) of the Rajasthan Forest Service (RFS) in abeyance, days after issuing a transfer list for 39 officers.The revised order follows a review of the posting of RFS officers against positions held by Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers.The department issued transfer orders for 39 DCFs on July 10. However, a subsequent order has put the transfer and posting of 13 officers on hold until further orders.The move has created uncertainty within the department as several of the affected officers already joined their new postings and assumed charge. Some also issued inter-circle administrative transfer orders after taking over. The status of those orders is yet to be clarified.Officials said the revised order was issued after the department reviewed the posting of RFS officers against positions held by IFS officers. The matter was subsequently referred to the chief minister’s office, following which the department kept the transfer and posting of the 13 officers in abeyance.Sources said differences emerged over the transfer list between the forest and environment minister and the head of forest force (HoFF) while finalising the postings.In a separate office order, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) Arijit Banerjee directed IFS officers posted in the affected positions not to hand over charge to the transferred RFS officers without prior approval from the competent authority. The order said the IFS officers would continue to hold charge of their respective posts until further directions.A senior officer said, “The list of IFS officers is pending, and a fresh list will be issued accommodating everyone so that no confusion arises.” Till the time of publication, the revised list of IFS officers was not released.
