The West Bengal government, under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has decided to initiate fresh hiring in the state’s forest department, focusing on forest guards and Bana Sahayaks (Forest Assistants) through the state police recruitment Board. This move aims to ensure a transparent and corruption-free recruitment process for the department. The decision was announced during the inauguration of ‘Aranya Saptaha’ — Forest Week in West Bengal.
Incidents of irregularities in forest department recruitments, particularly in the appointment of Bana Sahayaks, were noted during the previous administrations, including Mamata Banerjee’s tenure. These assistants are contractual forest workers utilized for various tasks like forest patrol and wildlife protection. By involving the state police recruitment Board in the hiring process, the government aims to establish a mechanism that eliminates any irregularities.
The Chief Minister highlighted the challenges faced by current forest department employees, emphasizing staff shortages and infrastructure deficiencies. He instructed the state forest minister to provide details on vacancies and infrastructure needs for prompt action. The government is committed to filling vacant positions to address these issues promptly.
During the inaugural function, the Chief Minister reiterated the government’s dedication to balancing industrial growth with environmental conservation. He emphasized enforcing regulations that mandate allocating two-thirds of project areas for essential infrastructure and the remaining one-third for plantations, ensuring sustainable development practices.
